


Badgering Hearts

by little_sloth



Series: Snakes and Badgers [3]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, First War with Voldemort, Graduation, Hogwarts Seventh Year, Magizoology (Harry Potter), Marauders' Era, Minor Character Death, Original Character Death(s)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-07
Updated: 2019-09-13
Packaged: 2019-10-06 09:36:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 31,155
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17342912
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/little_sloth/pseuds/little_sloth
Summary: It's their final year at Hogwarts, but the dark cloud of war hangs over them. Their lives will never be the same again because war brings tragedy and death. Will Annette and Severus survive the aftermath? Is their love strong enough to help them make it through to the other side unscathed?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome to the third part of Snakes and Badgers! Chapters will be posted every Tuesday after this, and there will be two separate companion pieces posted at some point during this new year. I hope you enjoy this chapter, and please leave a comment and a kudos!
> 
> Chapter 2 will be posted on Tuesday, January 15th.
> 
> -little sloth

July twelfth, nineteen seventy-seven would be a night that Severus Snape would never forget.

 

The silver mask that he wore to hide his identity was stifling, it made him feel nearly claustrophobic. The eye holes just big enough for him to see what was in front of him, but not from the sides, he would have to turn his head to do that. The robes were his go-to color when he was in the Wizarding World, black. An easy color to hide blood, an easy color for hiding secrets. His wand was tucked into the inner breast pocket of the cloak he wore, it was thin, more to keep the rain off of them, then for actual warmth.

Severus turned to glance over at Lucius, the wizard that was four years his senior, smiled with pride at him. Severus looked away, he could feel guilt and fear twisting his gut into a painful knot. The rain splattering against the silver adder snake that had been engraved as a design, coiled around the mask’s eye holes and nose curve, the head of adder snake rested on the bridge of the mask’s nose. Lucius had given it to him after Severus had appeared in Malfoy Manor’s seating room fireplace.

It had not taken the Half-Blood Prince long to remove a pair of black robes out of his closet, and to get them on over of his Muggle attire, that consisted of second-hand jeans, a second-hand AC/DC t-shirt (the only other one he had, that his beloved Hufflepuff Annette had not “borrowed”) and his worn out vans era sneakers. His mother was far too busy with Desdemona to notice him leaving in a such a panicked rush. He had already tucked the bloody portrait letter from Lord Voldemort in the inner pocket of his robes, next to his wand.

He quickly left a note for his mother, saying that he was going with Lucius to discuss the plans for the betrothed Pure-Blood Wizard’s stag party. He took a handful of floo powder from the coffee can on the mantle, stood in the fireplace and announced his destination. In moments he was blinded by bright green flames, and stumbling out of the grey brick fireplace and into the sitting room of Malfoy Manor.

The mask had been in a box made from noble oak, Severus sat down on the black leather loveseat first and handed Lucius over his initiation letter. His blood had dried, but the name and portrait of Baxter Negrescu was still very much visible. Dobby appeared with a tray that held a teapot still steaming from the spout, and two tea cups.

Severus tried not notice that Lucius uncorked a vial with lavender liquid that had navy blue bubbles floating in it. He had not noticed that the vial was also on the tray, he had been far too distracted by his racing thoughts of fear and panic.

Lucius did not hesitate and poured the potion into Severus’ tea. The Half-Blood Prince took it with shaking hands and sipped it gingerly. He did not have to try to look grateful for the fact that the older Wizard had spiked his earl grey tea with a Calming Draught.

Lucius set the initiation letter on the coffee table, and folded his hands in his lap. For once his white blonde hair was loose and not tied back, his grey eyes were filled with curiosity.

“Is this target related to your beloved Hufflepuff?” He asked, as he picked up a one of the grilled shrimp-ham crustless sandwiches from off the plate that was on the tray, and bit into it.

Severus took another huge swallow of tea before he could muster up enough courage to reply. “He is Annette’s father.”

He could see Lucius trying to mask his sneer of delight at the news, as Lucius quickly turned the sneer into a scowl of concern.

Of course, the young Death Eater was enjoying this. What could more thrilling than torturing information about the Magical Law Enforcement from the Wizard that Severus was hoping could one day be his father-in-law? Severus took one of the sandwiches and ate it without hesitation, if he was get information out of Baxter Negrescu, he was not going to do out on any empty stomach, even if his mind and body did not want any sustenance right now.

Lucius Malfoy took the opened ink black envelope from where Severus had set it on the coffee table. In Severus’ hurry to get here, he had not noticed a second piece of parchment had been tucked inside. The blood from the portrait had soaked into the second paper, on it where instructions written in Lord Voldemort’s spidery elegant script. Severus continued to sip his tea while Lucius read over the instructions.

“Our Dark Lord wants to know if there is a spy among our ranks, one that they would have sent in after graduation three years ago. Deimos Lennox is under suspicion. Supposedly, he went to Durmstrang. Are you efficient in Legilimency, Severus? **”**

The Slytherin soon-to-be Seventh Year raised an eyebrow, he could feel the Calming Draught beginning to take effect. It made him feel warm and fuzzy, like drinking hot chocolate after being out in the bitter chill of winter. It calmed his thoughts, the fear and panic ebbing away into an almost eerie like calm. “Of course, I am.” He had been practicing both Legilimency (the magical means of navigating through the many layers of a person's mind) and Occlumency (the magical means of closing one's mind against Legilimency _)_ since he was nine years old, and had read about it in one of his mother’s old Hogwarts textbooks.

He needed to be proficient in it to keep Magical Law Enforcement out of his mind, he had done so his Muggle father would not be put in Azkaban after so many visits to Saint Mungo’s after Tobias had beaten his mother. It had been to protect both his parents, and himself. If his father had been sent to Azkaban before Severus had been old enough to hold a job, him and his mother surely would have been starving and homeless.

Severus tried not visibly flinch as he felt Lucius trying to use Legilimency on him. The Slytherin graduate of Hogwarts tried to slip his way around Severus’ mental barriers. In his head, Lucius seemed to be in the form of snake with white and blonde scales and storm grey blue eyes. He was trying to slip through any cracks or to slither through any open spaces. But Severus was not a fool, he strengthened those barriers, turned them to steel, and watched with satisfaction as Snake Lucius was screwed by barbed wire or long metal spikes. Lucius shifted into a different form, this time a peacock with white and blonde plumage, and the same determined storm grey eyes. Of course, Severus was prepared and once again thwarted the Pureblood Wizard’s efforts.

Severus’ mind refocused on the sitting room in Malfoy Manor. He sipped more of tea, not trying to hide in the least the satisfied smirk on his lips. Lucius only raised his tea cup in a sort of salute, and finishes off the earl grey. Before Lucius can bring himself to raise his own mental defenses, Severus is in his mind like a snake chasing after a mouse.

 

_He sees flashes of a young Lucius perhaps seven or eight of age, peaking into his parents’ bedroom from a crack in the slightly ajar door. his mother, is heavily pregnant. Her russet colored hair is plastered to her forehead with sweat. Another scream of anguish breaks past her lips. There are two midwives in the room with his mother, and one of the female House Elves is in the room as well, sitting quietly in the corner, her massive bat-like ears are flopped down, but she does not press her hands to ears, afraid that it would be rude._

_Lucius’ mother had been in labor for quite a while, the young heir of the Malfoy legacy glances up at the grandfather clock in the hallway. It has been nearly four hours since his mother went into labor with his baby sister. The Pureblood child had grown bored of his comics and toys, and wanted to see what was taking his sibling so long to join him in the world._

_Suddenly his mother lets out an unearthly hollow of anguish and heartbreak. The House Elf’s face is crestfallen and she pops out of the room with a snap of her fingers. The midwife witches look sollum, their eyes filled with sadness, even with the face masks, Lucius can tell that there is something horribly wrong. His mother’s sobs practically break Lucius’ own heart. His father rushes from where he had been in the manor’s library, the House Elf in her curtain dress following after, ringing her long hands as she does._

_His father’s long white blonde hair is pulled back into a braid, that goes down his back. Abraxas Malfoy’s moss green eyes are filled with sorrow as he hugs his wife to his chest, she sobs loudly in his chest, her thin fingers digging into the fabric of his robes._

_The House Elf take Lucius by the hand and leads him away from the door. Lucius takes one final glance at the now wide-open door. His little sister has the same hair as him, white blonde and looks as soft as a duckling’s fuzzy down. But he knows there is something wrong, she is not crying. She is not moving. His little sister is completely still like a doll._

_Severus is yanked into another memory. This time Lucius is thirteen, he and his father, are both wearing long black robes with silver buttons. The day is sunny and not a cloud in the sky. But Severus can tell by Lucius red rimmed eyes, that this not a happy memory. Lucius and Abraxas are standing in front of two gravestones. One is freshly covered with dirt, the other has plenty of grass, and has a bouquet of daisies leaning against the black granite._

_The gravestone with fresh dirt has words engraved into his white marble surface. Concordia Malfoy: Beloved Wife and Mother. 1938 - 1974_

_The other gravestone has the words engraved into it. Felicitas Malfoy: Beloved Daughter and Sister. 1961-1961_

 

The Seventh Year Slytherin is thrown out of Lucius Malfoy’s mind so fast, it makes the younger snake’s head spin. Lucius’s face is creased with anger, his storm grey-blue eyes are steeled with an emotion so terribly close to betrayal, that Severus can feel the blood draining away from already pale face.

“Do not ever look into my mind again, Severus.” his voice is cold, bitter, the words a snarl like a cornered beast. 

Severus could only bring himself to nod, after he swallowed down the lump of fear in throat. As the seventeen-year-old Wizard closed the clasp of his cloak against his breastbone, Lucius stood in the entryway of Malfoy Manor waiting for Dobby to bring him his Death Mask. The young House Elf popped in front of his master, holding a box made out of white birch and golden clasps.

Lucius lifted the mask to his face, and just like how Severus’ had, the silver mask seemed to mold to Lucius face. No need for strings, and only the wearer could remove it. Lucius mask was shaped like the face of a male peacock.

Once his mask was secured, Lucius turned to Severus. A smile of excitement on the Malfoy heir’s face. “Do you know where to find the target?”

Severus held back a sigh, if the Calming Draught was not flowing through his system right now, he may have just apparated out because of the panic and the fear. “Yes, I know exactly where _the target_ is.” Deep down in the pit of his stomach, as it twisted painfully with guilt, he wish he did not know Baxter Negresgru as well as he did.

Now, Lucius and Severus stood across the street from The Leaky Cauldron. The rain had been going on throughout the day, but with it now night, the rain clouds blocked out the stars and moon above, leaving the only lights around them being passing vehicles and the lamp-posts.

They watched and waited like eager starving snakes, ready to strike. They apparate again to the back of the Leaky Cauldron, to the open courtyard where the brick lies in wait for someone to tap their wand, so it may open up to Diagon Alley. Severus can hear the noises from inside of the bar. The shouts of drunkards, the horrible off-key singing of old sea shanties, and Irish ballads. The roar of celebrating Quidditch fanatics, as the match between Wales and Turkey, plays over a radio, that must have been modified with magic in order for everyone in the bar to hear it the noise.

Severus presses himself further against the cool brick walls, deeper into the shadows. He knows that if he doesn’t get the information that the Dark Lord needs, he will lose his in with the Death Eaters. He will lose his one chance to the take down the Wizard known as Voldemort. But Severus also knows that Lucius will make sure with every fiber of his Pureblood being, that he would not allow the Half-Blood Prince to fail.

Baxter stumbles out of the pub and out into the courtyard, the light from inside the Leaky Cauldron iluminates him from the back. There is the copious thundering noise of cheering and hollering as the match finished, and it is announced that Wales has won. But Baxter does not seem to care about that, the tall and muscular Wizard, that is built like an ox is still wearing his Magical Law Enforcement uniform, his wand tucked into the holster around his waist.

The father of the Witch that Severus’ loves turns back around, his partner, Elpis Cartwright wraps her arms around his neck and places a kiss to his cheek. Her blonde curly hair is twisted up into a messy bun, most of it now loose and framing her face. Even with her height, she is still three inches shorter than Baxter.

His face becomes creased with guilt and shame when Elips places another kiss upon him. This time on his mouth. He does not return the token of affection. She whispers something that Severus can not make out, but from the way Baxter’s face pales, the Snake can tell it is not what he wants to hear.

“We were so careful.” Baxter finally blurts out, and Elpis simply shrugs.

“Not careful enough.” Elpis says it with a smirk on her lips, nearly delivish in nature.

Before Baxter can say anything else, Elpis apparates out with small faint pop, like bubble wrap being punctured. That is when Lucius strikes, the former Slytherin uses their target’s dismay and panic to his own advantage. He nonverbally casts _Confundo_ , the spell hits Mister Negrescu full force, he does not even have anytime to grab his own wand, or try to defend himself.

With Baxter disoriented, Severus quickly casts _Petrificus Totalus._ He could feel his heart stop for split second as Baxter drops like a ton of bricks. His body rocks back and forth for a moment like a plank of wood, the only thing the petrified Wizard can move is his eyes. Just as Severus regains his composure, he, Lucius, and their captured Magical Law Enforcement Officer disapparate with the sound of a popped balloon behind them.

They do not undo the full body-bind curse until they have removed Baxter’s blackthorn wand that had a unicorn mane hair as its core, and was indeed very flexible. A powerful wand for a Wizard such as him. They wait until Dobby has completed tying him to a chair the House Elf had brought from the dining room and down into the cellar. It has been soundproofed by Severus casting _Muffliato_ **.**

Even with Baxter being so drunk, he should not have been blacking out. The father of Annette and Quinn is only green in the face, looking ready to vomit at any moment, and angry. Ready to kill, angry.

Probably ready to relive his stomach of alcohol and his dinner of fish and chips, doing side-along apparition side effects. Angry with himself for being caught off guard and being captured by a rookie Death Eater and another who is still a fledgling.

Severus quickly brews him an anti-nausea potion with the help of the young House Elf, Dobby. The magical being born into a life of servitude, is more than happy to get Severus what he needs to craft it. Mostly because Severus is polite and softly whispers a thank you, once he is finished with brewing the mixture. The Half-Blood Prince serves the anti-nausea potion to Baxter in a teacup. Baxter becomes less green in a matter of ten minutes. Lucius is impatient, pacing back and forth like a caged beast. The Death Eater is impatient to get the information that his Dark Lord so desperately desires, and he does not like it in the least that Severus has been kind, and has made sure that their informational source does loose the contents of his stomach all over the cement floor.

Severus waits for Dobby to bring back a second chair from the dining room and sits down across from the man, who he hoped would give him permission to marry his daughter.

Legilimency does not work on Baxter at first, the former Ravenclaw’s high proficiency in Occlumency keeps the Slytherin out of his mind with ease. Baxter’s mental shields are strong, too strong. It’s like trying to get through a wall made out of diamonds. Severus leans back against his chair, willing himself not look defeated and exhausted in front of the Magical Law Enforcement Officer.

Severus prepares himself to craft a sleeping potion, a mind as heavily guarded as Baxter’s should be less so once he is asleep and dreaming. But before Severus can ask Dobby to gather him the herbs and other pieces that are needed. A bit back cry of agony almost makes Severus drop the vial he has put the sleeping potion in.

He had not heard it at first, but now he does.

There is a devilish smile on Lucius face as he repeats the unforgivable curse aloud. “Cruico!”

It takes until the fourth try, but Baxter cries out. Screaming as if his very mind on his fire, as if his brain is being burned to a crisp. Severus stops Lucius from using the unforgivable curse a fifth time, he sits down in the chair across from Baxter again.

The mental shields that the Pureblood Wizard had up are now shattered like glass, but at least his mind is still intact. With Severus’ mastery in legilimency, he is able to sift through Baxter’s mind like sand slipping through his slender fingers.

For the first time, Severus gets to see his beloved Annette through the olive green eyes of the man that helped bring her into this world.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 3 will be posted on Tuesday, January 29th. Please leave a comment!
> 
> -little sloth

Severus felt himself wading through Baxter’s memories like a river going downstream. The water was frigid, as if he was stepping into the Antarctic **.** He dared to look up at the landscape that surrounded the river that lead to Baxter’s main source of memories. It was almost barren, saved for the shattered diamond walls that had served as Baxter’s defense against mental intruders. The shards glistened against dead brown grass, that must have been full of life with blooming flowers before Lucius and Severus had invaded like Burmese pythons. Squeezing and suffocating their victim until they got what they needed.

The Half-Blood Prince hesitated in picking up a stone that lay in the freezing waters of the river, the hair on the back of his neck and arms stood on end. Danger. Run! Get out! Even with his brain screaming at him to bolt so his mind would not end up being destroyed with whatever secondary defenses Baxter had placed, he braced himself and turned toward the being that made his blood run as cold as the river he stood in.

With his wand tightly in hand, he faced the being. His dark ink black orbs widened, and he swallowed thickly as his mouth ran dry, his heart beat against his chest like a frightened rabbit.

A grizzly bear lumbered toward him, slowly, and full of caution. Its deep midnight blue eyes stared at him almost mournfully. Severus lowered his wand and tucked it back into the inner breast pocket of his robes. He steadied his shaking hand, and ran his hand through the gruff and bristly silvery moonlight colored fur of Baxter’s Patronus. The grizzly bear’s shoulder had a massive scar, that looked like burned flesh, another scar lay across the beast’s back. Did Patronus’ also copy the markings of their Wizard and Witches? 

Severus slowly pulled his hand away, there was not anytime for him to question such matters, his curiosity would have to wait to be sedated when he was able to go to Flourish and Blotts. Now he needed to get the information he needed and get out, if Baxter was lucky his mind would still be intact after all of the poking and prodding. The Wizard should have lost his mind already, taking four hits from the  _ Crucio  _ Curse and with only his mental barriers broken, was a miracle in its own right.

Before Severus could back away, the beast swiped its paw into the water and the rock that was below the Half-Blood feet was caught swiftly in his now cupped hands. He barely got the words, ‘I’m sorry’ free from his mouth, just as the rock seemed to take hold. If the rock had been a creature, it only sunk its claws into Severus further. The memory sucked him down, as if he was falling down a rabbit hole. Or maybe it was like being water sucked down the drain.

Severus barely had a chance to stand up again, from where he had landed on his backside, when he recognized where he was. He knew he was in a memory, but the kitchen in the Negresgru household had barely changed at all, save for the wallpaper. He was glad that it had changed to a simple white background decorated with bees and daisies.

_ The wallpaper in the memory he was in, was indeed cringe worthy. The wallpaper was sea-foam greenish-blue background with odd lime green three-sided long blobs, and to top it all off swirly winged red and white butterflies.  _

_ Just looking at it makes Severus lightheaded. The wood burning stove heats the boiling pot on the stove, he can hear the oatmeal bubbling and popping within.  _

_ It smelled strongly of cinnamon and sugar, there was another kettle on the stove keeping the bitter smell of coffee    
_

_ Delora  busily scrambled to get her copper locks yanked back into a bun, while she pressed a kiss to her husband’s lips, she was is already in her lime green robes with the bone and wand crossed badge on the front.  “I’ll see you after my shift.” _

_ Her husband kisses her back automatically, the gesture of affection is nearly robotic in nature. Severus can tell from his bleary eyes, unkempt dark chocolate hair, and overly two days growth of beard, that the Wizard is not entirely awake yet. Baxter’s voice comes out deep, gravely, and worn. “Be safe. Come home to us soon.” _

_ Baxter easily took the lid off the pot, and levitated some into two separate bowls with the aid of his wand and the spells volitant and hic locus. The bowls land easily and without one drop spilled on the dragon decorated place mats.  _

_ One for Quinn, the four year old was busy working on spelling his name with a piece of lined paper and a quill. His writing was a mess. It was jumbles of swirling letters and stick straight ones that were as straight as a ruler, covered in ink splashes. His one-year-old sister on the other hand was sitting at the clear glass patio doors, instead wearing a matching girl version  of her brother’s outfit, Quinn wore a long sleeved blue and white striped shirt with overalls, his little feet bare for now, while Annette’s copper locks were twisted back in pigtails and she wore sage green robes with ballet slipper like shoes. _

_ The other bowl was set down for Baxter’s beloved daughter, but at the moment, she was very much preoccupied.    
_

_ Little one year old Annette had her hands and face pressed against the window, he could see the reflection of her large olive green eyes in the glass.  _

_ The frustration of not being tall enough to reach the closed latch, but there was excitement glistening in her eyes. Severus stepped closer until he was right beside the memory baby version of his girlfriend.  _

_ His ink black eyes glanced up and could help the small lopsided smile that melted away his fear of uncertainty, he had finally spotted what Annette was so excited about. _

_ A niffler was sliding down the slightly downward tilted roof, away from the open bedroom window it had crawled in through. The open window belonged to the room that Annette’s mother and father shared. The fluffy black creature with his long snout, looked full of glee as he scurried off the roof using the drain pipe, his pouch was full to the brim, a pear necklace dangled loose from it.  _

_ Annette’s face lost its gleeful expression, as she realized what the adorable critter was up too. Tears leaked down from her eyes, and cried out her first word, to the shock of her parents, as they stood at the kitchen table, her mother trying not sip her scalding hot coffee too fast, before she had to use the fireplace in the living room to get to Saint Mungo’s, while Baxter was trying to gather up the loose paper spelling worksheets that belonged to Quinn. _

_ Annette turned to face her parents, and pointed out to the back garden, where the niffler was trying to squeeze his chubby bottom through a hole in their fence. “NIFFLER!” _

_ Delora picked her daughter up and could not help her laughter of delight, while Baxter rushed outside after the pesty creature, his wand in hand, the summoning spell accio coming from his wand.  _

_ When Baxter came back with the squirming, wriggling, none to happy, Niffler. It was Annette who took the fluffy, furry thief from her father and hugged it tightly. She kept smiling and repeating the word softly, this time as if it was song. “Niffler, Niffler.” as she sang, she danced with the creature, spinning with it until all, it had stolen was now scattered across the kitchen floor. _

_ “Baxter, her first word.” Delora’s face was red with laughter. _

_ The hulking man could only nod, before he regained his breath. “I can’t believe we made a bet a whether she would say mama or daddy first. I guess, we both lose.” _

Severus could only shake his head in amusement, of course her first word was the name of a creature from the magical world. 

Severus stumbled out of the memory, this time ready to face the massive grizzly. But instead the Patronus that belonged to Baxter Negrescu, shoved him hard with his head. It felt like he had been hit by the Knight Bus, dead on at eighty miles per hour. 

Severus was thrust into another memory, as his hand grasped around another stone in order to steady himself.

_ Severus stood beside Baxter, as the Magical Law Enforcement officer took off his sopping wet cloak. Rain and dark clouds could easily be seen from the large bay windows in the living room. He also took off his wand holster, the magical channeling device lay free on the coffee table, while his silver badge still hung from the strap of leather. _

_ Baxter looked up with tired eyes, as an eleven-year-old Annette came bounding down the stairs two at a time. The soon-to-be Hufflepuff was wearing a set of apple red pajamas that were decorated with silver and white images of Romanian Longhorn dragons. Her copper hair was pulled back into a braid, clutched tightly in her hand was a cream colored envelope.  _

_ “Nettie, you should be in bed, asleep.” Baxter said, as he went to take her by the shoulder to lead her back to her bedroom. The silver owl clock with its sapphire eyes, that hung on the living room wall above the mantle of the fireplace, charmed for three o’clock in the morning.  _

_ “Not yet, please.” the enthusiastic Witch begged, she did not seem to care that it was six hours past her curfew, that she was already supposed to be fast asleep in bed by ten pm. _

_ Baxter flopped down on the couch, beside his wife, who was barely awake herself, still wearing her Mediwitch robes. “She wouldn’t let me see it without you here.” Delora mumbles, almost falling asleep on Baxter’s shoulder. _

_ “Where’s Quinn?” Baxter asks, while Annette plops down on the coffee table in front of them, she eagerly tears open the envelope with fingers shaking from nervousness. _

_ “He’s upstairs. Already reading his textbooks for third year.” Delora replies, exhaustion with a mix of pride in her stormy blue eyes. _

_ Annette read through the letter, three times. Severus could see the emotions that danced in her olive green eyes as she finally spoke with tears glistening at the very edge of her eyes.  _

_ “Oh, sweetheart.” Delora whispered, preparing to force her worn out body off of the comfort of the couch, mistaking her daughter’s overwhelming disbelief and excitement, for disappointment and heartbreak.  _

_ “I’ve been accepted! I’ve been accepted to go to Hogwarts!” Annette squealed, giggling out of pure joy. _

_ It’s Baxter, who stands up and embraces his eleven-year-old daughter in a bear hug, before picking Annette up, like he used to do when she was so much smaller, and she wrapped his arms around her father’s neck. Her head resting on his shoulder. “Whatever house you are in, Nettie. I know you’ll make our family proud.” Baxter says with a soft smile. _

_ “Daddy,” Annette begins to protest but cannot help yawning. “I’m too old for you to carry me.” _

_ “This will be the last time, I promise.” Baxter promises. _

The memory slips away, and Severus feels as if he is stepping into a dense fog. He props himself on his elbows, his robes wet, and his ink black hair was dripping with the ice cold from the river within Baxter’s memory. Baxter’s bear Patronus lays beside him, its snow white, silver mixed with navy blue eyes stared at him disappointment and a weariness that Severus’ did not think he would never understand. 

The Grizzly pushes two stones, that are still damp with river water, close to Severus’ hand. He releases a huff and grunt and heaves itself onto all fours. The bear then plops itself on to its hefty, furry, behind and grunts impatiently. 

Severus takes one of the stones and clutches it, and before he can even brace himself and shut his ink black eyes shut, he is in the memory, he has been searching for all along.

_ Baxter sits in his office at the Magical Law Enforcement department of  the Ministry.  _ _ His desk is piled with papers. He glances up as a twenty-year-old Wizard with messy slightly long sandy brown hair, caramel brown eyes, a face spackled with freckles, and buck teeth enters the room.  _

_ He is wearing his uniform, but it looks gangly and far too big on him. Like a son playing dress up in his father’s clothes. The younger Wizard sits down across from his superior, clearly shaking with nervousness.  _

_ “Warbeck.” Baxter smiles grimly, and hands him a black file.  _

_ “Sir…” the young Wizard swallows thickly, nearly choking on his own saliva. “Quinn is far more qualified then I am.” _

_ “He is already on assignment.” Baxter replies, his face a stoney mask, void of any emotion. _

_ The young Wizard known as Warbeck, his face suddenly drains of all color. His face a pasty white, his eyes wide with disbelief. He stutters and stammers, “Sir...I can’t do this.” _

_ “Stanley, you are the only other officer we have, who speaks fluent Russian and Swedish. You will be fine.” Baxter stands and places his large meaty hand, on Warbeck’s scrawny shoulder with a pat of reassurance.  _

_ Severus can feel guilt twisting his gut twisting like a vice, if only Baxter knew the truth, that Stanley Warbeck known to Lord Voldemort, at least according to the open file in Warbeck’s lap, as Theodor Kjellsson,  would very soon be dead and by Voldemort’s own hand.  _

The Half-Blood Prince is pulled from one memory and into another, instead of grabbing onto the dying grass, he places it onto the final stone that the bear had left him. 

_ Severus once again is standing in Baxter’s office. This time it is Quinn sitting across from his father, he has an open ink black file open in his lap. The name on the file is Yevgeni Vasilev _ ,  _ Baxter’s assignment is written clearly enough for Severus to read it over his shoulder. _

_ Quinn is posing as a Charms Professor at Durmstrang Institute, to see if any of the Professors are bringing graduating students with a gift for the Dark Arts into the folds of the Scandinavian branch of the Dark Lord’s followers.  _

Severus is yanked out of the memory by the bear, the bear has his robes by its frightening teeth. This time, he apologies to the grizzly bear Patronus, the manifested creature merely grunts, huffs and shoves him out of Baxter’s mind with a bull-like ramming of his head. Everything is pitch black for a couple of moments, and Severus opens his eyes up slowly. Blurred vision nearly set him reeling, and he almost lost consciousness. 

Severus had never been in anyone’s mind for over two hours before. He would some suffer the consequences, by disguises his crippling guilt as snarky pride that was drawn to the power of the Dark Arts like a moth to a flame.

The Slytherin Half-Blood struggled to get his feet, his legs weak and wobbly as if they were made from jello. He pressed his wand to Baxter’s temple. The fully grown Wizard had completely lost consciousness, his head lolling to the side. 

Severus once again swam into Baxter’s mind, but this time it was more like wading out in the shallows. He used Obliviate to destroy any memories that Baxter had of himself and Lucius. But he made sure to keep the memories of Baxter and his blonde haired siren of a partner.

He sinks back heavily into his chair and watched with barely open eyes as Dobby and another House Elf apparate away with the father of the Witch he loves, leaving a white smokey cloud behind them. He then pulls his silver Death Eater mask from his face, but he clutches the disguising object tightly to him, as if it is a missing limb. Severus  is almost asleep in the rickety chair, when Lucius pulls him up by the crook of his arm, the young Death Eater’s mask had been removed, probably put back by a House Elf and stored somewhere that not even Lucius parents will be able to find it. 

The older Wizard leads Severus to a guest room, and has a House Elf fetch a stamina-boosting potion. Severus gratefully chugs down the grey-robin egg blue sky liquid, it activates in a few minutes, restoring his energy, at least long enough for him to eat an extravagant dinner of  lobster diavolo. There is a fresh, still hot out of the oven, loaf of french bread. Butter in a dish so fancy that Severus is almost afraid to try dipping his knife, in order to lather the bread with it.

The dishes, silverware, and the wine glass that has been filled with chilled pumpkin juice, is far more expensive than anything that Severus will ever own. Which is why he takes his time, almost painstakingly slow to eat everything the House Elf had brought him. 

Just as he is browsing the books that are on the shelves in the guest bedroom. Dobby apparates  into the room, carrying a towel and a pair of pajamas that Severus are positive belong to Lucius.

“Young Master Malfoy, requests that you spend the night, since it already so late at night, Master Snape.”

Severus can only nod, he takes the towel and pajamas that Dobby has brought him, and brings them into the full bathroom that adjoins the guest room, he will be staying in. 

He places the adder snake Death Eater back in the noble oak box, that now rests on the nightstand. He can feel powerful magic pulsating around that holds it. Somehow Severus knows that no one, but him will be able to open the box, it had been attuned to his magic the moment he had touched it. The shower nearly put him to sleep again, and Severus does not bother to button up the top of the borrowed pajamas, but instead buries himself under the covers and sinks into a deep sleep, that is thankfully dreamless.

When Lucius descends the stairs to the dining room the next morning, he finds Severus hurriedly eating a breakfast of porridge mixed with fresh sliced peaches and cinnamon sugar. He sits down across from the younger Wizard, he considers to be like a younger brother.

“I had Dobby apparate your  _ gift  _ to your bedroom at your...home.” Lucius says with a slight smirk, Severus knows all too well he is speaking about the Death Eater mask.

“Thank you for allowing me to spend the night in your home, Lucius.” Severus says after finishing his second cup of dandelion tea. 

“Of course, Severus.” Lucius sips at his own cup of dandelion tea, that was poured by a very nervous Dobby.

Severus uses the floo powder above the mantle in the sitting room of Malfoy Manor to get to Slug and Jiggers Apothecary in order to start his shift. It the same usual manner of his other shifts, craft the potions for the Wizard and Witches, who order them. While Pandora takes their payment up front, along with any new orders that arrive by owl or by person.

The bell tolls above the door as Severus enters the thick muggy night air, and leaves the familiar scents of potions ingredients until tomorrow. Pandora waves goodbye to him, as she makes her way to the Daily Prophet’s main office to meet up with her beloved fellow Ravenclaw, Xenophilius Lovegood. Severus did his best not notice the silver eagle feather-shaped ring with blue zoisite in the center, that was on her ring finger. 

It was not any of Severus’ concern and he promised Pandora, after he congratulated her over their lunch hour, that he would not tell Annette. Severus did not want to go home just yet, he wanted to browse in Obscurus Books and and the second hand bookshop for new reading material, he was planning on sending his beloved Badger a care package with a new book for her to read during her down time at Saint Francis’ Sanctuary for Neglected and Mistreated Magical Creatures.

He was just about to enter the secondhand bookstore when he noticed Stanley Warbeck also known as Theodor Kjellsson coming out of Sugarplum’s Sweets Shop with a white and pink striped bag filled to the brim with chocolate cauldrons and Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans. 

Severus’ body reacted before his brain could fully process what was happening. His wand was out and white sparks flew from it as  _ in ut suspenderet  _ was cast., and Stanley Warbeck was pinned by an unseen force, against the grimy brick wall that became Knockturn Alley.

Stanley Warbeck’s bag of treats fell to the ground, spilling the contents around their feet. The young Wizard’s face became drained of color as he struggled to reach his own wand that was the leather holster around his waist. “What do you want with me?” the question came out coated with fear.

Severus could only sneer coldly in response, he hated himself the instinct he felt the Darkness’ pull taking over him, but he could not stop now. How else was Severus to defeat the Dark Lord Voldemort, if it was not welcomed into his ranks? The Half-Blood Prince cast Petrificus Totalus on Stanley, so he would stop squirming out of desperation, and Silencio to keep him quiet. They apparated from Knockturn Alley and to the place where Lord Voldemort had said to bring the double-crossing traitor. That was if Severus was able to locate him. The soon-to-be Death Eater had found the black envelope on the nightstand of the guest bedroom when he had awoken at Malfoy Manor that morning.    


Now it seemed like fate had cruel sense of humor, for it had seemed to be pure luck that the Wizard that Lord Voldemort was to smite was in Diagon Alley. 

Severus apparated to the outside a very rusted iron gate in Little Hangleton. Beyond the rusted gate was a hill, and resting atop of that hill with some of its windows boarded, tiles missing from its roof, and ivy choking it from the outside was an unkempt, and anyone’s first glance an abandoned manor.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for the delay, I purchased a new laptop and I have hunted down as many chapters I could find on Google docs. Chapter 4 will be posted on Thursday, March 14th. I am always looking for a beta to help me with editing my chapters.
> 
> I hope you enjoy chapter 3, please leave a comment or a kudos!
> 
> -little sloth

Severus heaved himself forward in his bed, upright and gasping for air. Cold sweat dripped down his body and clung to his stringy, ink black hair. For once, he is glad for the noise of the box fan that rests in the windowsill above his bed. It roars and chugs in air, trying to beat out the muggy heat that engulfs his bedroom. Despite the heat, Severus is shivering, as his hand stumbles in the dark to find the lamp that is on his nightstand.

The alarm clock beside the lamp, read four o’clock in the morning in jagged, boxy numbers that are light neon blue in color. Once the lamp illuminated the room, the Half-Blood Prince could nearly breathe regularly again, and it isn’t just because the light has dissipated the darkness of night and the shadows on the walls. His raven black eyes glance at the book on his nightstand, _Beneath the Moors,_ written by Brian Lumley. A frayed bookmark is jammed in, to mark four chapters before he is finished with the novel. On top of the book, is Severus’ half of the two-way mirrors.

He badly wanted to speak with Annette, but at 5 o’clock in the morning, she was probably already hard at work taking care of the abandoned, neglected, and mistreated magical creatures that call Saint Francis’ their home. But what would he tell her? She’d be horrified to know that he had aided Lord Voldemort in killing an innocent Wizard, who was only trying to protect the Magical World from the darkness that Voldemort wanted to smother them all with.

He took up his wand from where it rested on his nightstand beside _Beneath the Moors_ , he hesitantly lifted the tip toward his temple, the memory erasing spell was on the end of his tongue, and almost out his mouth, and spoken aloud, when he stopped himself before he could completely commit to the idea. If he took away too much of his own memories what if he forgot who he was? What if he forgot his mother and his sister? The most horrifying was the risk that he could entirely forget his beloved Badger?

The gamble was far too much, he set his wand back to where it rested before, and buried his face in his hands, letting out a sigh of frustration and guilt.

The shocked and blood curdling screams of Stanley Warbeck still echoed in his mind, it was like a song that had gotten stuck in his head, that he could not, nor did he ever think he would ever be able to forget.

The death of Stanley Warbeck was all his fault, and the guilt was going to kill him.

_He had been standing outside of the wrought iron rusted gate with Stanley Warbeck, stunned and immobilized floating behind him, the older Wizard’s head bumping against his shoulder every once and while. When he had first apparated to the place, he felt a barrier close around him, as if he was enveloped in a bubble, it made him feel less like he was about to be caught, as the Muggles walked past the gate, and him without even glancing in his direction._

_Severus reached his hand out to the gate, only to feel magic pulsating around it like a heartbeat. He would not be able to get in by simply pushing open the gate. He watched with small shock, as the caramel Burmese python snake, that was made of iron and rusted over, began to move from its resting spot coiled around the gate as the lock, its head and body stretched forward, until it was eye to eye with Severus Snape._

“ _In order to enter, you must answer this riddle.” the snake hissed all of the words with s in them extended by four s sounds, if it could hold an expression on its face, it might have been boredom._

_Severus let the awe fade away, at the moving iron snake, whose scales had been turned red by rust. “I need to enter, so let me hear it.”_

“ _So impatient.” the snake hissed, and let out a sigh, before speaking the riddle aloud:_

“ _A serpent swam in a silver urn_

_A golden bird did in its mouth abide_

_The serpent drank the water, this in turn_

_Killed the serpent. Then the gold bird died. “_

_Severus’ face scrunched up in concentration for a moment, before he was able to grasp the answer. A small smirk of knowing graced his mouth. “An oil lamp.”_

“ _Correct, for once one of you isn’t a total dunce.” The snake uncoiled completely from around the gates doors, and rested up at the top, by the latin words, Puritate in omnibus, the phrase had been crafted in iron and was the only thing that looked to be the newest addition, it was barely rusted at all._

_The iron gates yawned open and allowed Severus and the captured Stanley Warbeck through. Severus made his way up the hill, his arm beginning to tire from holding Stanley aloft, he went toward the large mansion. A Witch moved in front of building, setting the vines aflame. Her long black curly hair was twisted into a bun, to keep it from being tangled in the overgrowth, and away from the flames that erupted from her wand to kill the vines that were choking the house._

_Severus stepped toward her, the former Slytherin, who is nine years his senior. The woman with curly ink black hair, and pale skin turned to face the Half-Blood Prince, her forest green robes decorated with black mambas followed her movements effortlessly. Her chestnut brown eyes gleamed with mirth, and a spine chillingly cold smile, that seemed overjoyed in a sickening way, that Severus had brought the traitor to Voldemort’s doorstep._

_Her eyes drifted away from the floating, frozen form of the Wizard she had known as Theodor Kjellsson, and gives Severus a once over. A once over that makes Severus feel uncomfortable, but he keeps his face an emotionless mask, even though on the inside it feels like his anxiousness and nervousness might eat him from the inside, and also looks like this woman, this Pure-Blooded Witch wants to devour him too._

“ _You may call me, Bellatrix.” She holds out her hand as if waiting for Severus to kiss it, but when he doesn’t make a move to do so, she frowns in disappointment and pulls her hand back. “You’re a clever boy, aren’t you?” she asks, leaning into Severus’ personal space._

“ _Of course he is, or otherwise I would not have thought of him to be a good fit for the plans Our Lord, wishes to accomplish.” Lucius drawls as he stands beside her, and places a hand on Bellatrix’s shoulder. “He is far too young for you, my dear sister-in-law.”_

“ _I am not your dear anything yet, Lucius.” Bellatrix bites out, and returns to her task of burning away the vines._

“ _Come, I shall introduce you to Lord Voldemort.” Lucius says and makes his way into the mansion, beckoning for Severus and the traitor he had caught to follow him._

_The inside of the mansion was shadowy and grey at first, the floorboards creaked underneath their feet. A faint sound of popping as if bubble wrap was being punctured by someone’s fingers, barely registered with Severus as he trailed after Lucius. The lanterns that hung along the walls illuminated the mansion’s entryway and sitting room._

_He sat in a fancy dark forest green high backed chair, resting in his hand was a crystal goblet filled part-way with red wine. The Master of the Dark Arts sipped it slowly before setting down the goblet onto a the side table, and returned to the worn out book that rested in long black robes covered lap. It was a book that Severus recognized immediately, Potions of the Dark Arts._

_The Half-Blood Prince took the moments that Lord Voldemort was not eyeing them, to get a good look at the Wizard, he would be learning from, and would one day be killing, without losing his own life, as an Auror._

_Lord Voldemort had onyx hair was cropped short, a wicked grin crossed his pale face and glimmered in his dark eyes, when he took notice of his followers and the traitor that had been brought to him._

_The Dark Lord lifted his wand from where it rested on the table beside the crystal goblet. With a couple of flicks of wrist, the spells that Severus had cast upon Stanley Warbeck, the Wizard hitting the floor with a wince-inducing thump. The Magical Law Enforcement mole, at first looked confused and panic stricken, rubbing at the back of his head furiously, as if it would stop the agony. He quickly hauled himself off the floor and glared daggers at Lucius and Severus for what seemed like a lifetime before realization dawned on Stanley Warbeck, when he finally knew where he was._

_His face became white as blood drained from his face, and he turned around to face, the man he had been calling “My Lord”, and “Master”, for nearly a year. The smile that was on Lord Voldemort’s face made Stanley’s blood run ice cold, it made his mouth run dry, and any words he had planned to say, run away screaming._

“ _I suppose you think you are terribly clever. There are other forces at work in this world, Theodor, that you are just too blinded by the Ministry's ways of justice to see. The Ministry is poisoning our beloved world with the foul blood, that runs through the veins of Mudbloods and Half-Bloods alike. What kind of world will we live in if we allow them to run rampt and unchecked? It will be a soiled world, where eventually all the Magic we have, will wither away. And all because of the likes of impure. All I am trying to do is make our world what it once was, and you, Theodor… No, that isn’t your name. Theodor is a lie, you are actually Stanley. And you, you, young Stanley Warbeck were foolish enough to think I could be stopped.”_

_Voldemort rights himself from his chair and is in front of Stanley in an instant, his wand now at the traitor’s throat. “Did you honestly think I would not notice that I have a mole within my den?”_

_Stanley visibly swallows, thickly and full of nerves. Severus can not help but wonder which instinct Stanley will try to use survive. Will it be fight or flight? A spark of magic streams forth from Stanley’s wand, turning into a burst of flame. The spell, Confringo_ _**,** _ _is stopped with a few swishes of Voldemort’s own. The room turns violently cold, Severus’ breath releases from his mouth in a cloud of fog. The burst of flame as been turned into pure ice, the carpet below their feet is also covered thickly with it. The massive chunk of what was once a source of heat and burns, falls to the floor and shatters into a million pieces among the floor, like diamonds._

_Before Stanley can summon another spell, his wand flies into Voldemort’s open hand. The Dark Lord gently sets his own wand back on the table, and takes Stanley’s within both of his. The wand was fourteen inches long, made from willow with a dragon heart string core, and promptly snapped in half by Voldemort._

_It took Severus a moment to realize that Stanley did not cry out in anger or rage, or try to make a lunge for the precious magically channeling instrument, instead Stanley stands as still as a statue, arms hanging limp at side. His face is void of any emotion, and his eyes are cloudy and blank, almost like looking into a fog covered mirror._

_Voldemort had cast Imperio upon poor Stanley Warbeck, Severus could only wish he had enough courage to take out Voldemort this very instant, but with all of his followers in the same room, Severus would surely die, far too soon before he was ready. Lucius grabbed a hold of Severus’ arm, and he felt his stomach lurch and churn, and the feeling as if he was water being sucked down a drain._

_Severus barely regained his balance from the side along apparition. Long and lush green grass was now entangled around his fingers, it felt like his stomach was trying to escape. Lucius yanked him to his feet. All he could do was watch as Lord Voldemort ordered Stanley to walk off the edge of the cliff. The slate grey and navy blue waters of the ocean laped up below, crashing and roaring against the craggy embankment below. The cries of the seagulls above them, did nothing to drown out the screams that came from Stanley’s mouth as Voldemort released the control he had over the Magical Law Enforcement double agent._

_The screams were bloodcurdling, and echoed even after the sickening crack as Stanley’s body hit the embankment below him, fresh blood pooled from his skull, that had split open like an egg, and was swept up by the waves that engulfed the small rocky scrap of land, his eyes were wide-eyed with horror, and mouth still gaped open with a soundless scream. None of the waves were strong enough to pull away the empty shattered shell that had once been the brave boarding on idiocy, Stanley Warbeck._

_Severus somehow managed to keep the contents of his meager dinner within his stomach, as they once again apparated back to the mansion. He was still dazed and struggling to comprehend what happened, when Voldemort walked over to him, from where he had been standing beside Lucius._

_Lucius could only smile with smugness, his self-pride and pride in Severus, nearly made the Half-Blood Prince want to be sick out of pure disgust._

_The words that Voldemort spoke seemed muffled and distant as he spoke. “Well done, Lucius. Severus will make a perfect addition to our cause.”_

_Everything became clear as Voldemort now stood in front of Severus. Nothing was disoriented or out of focus as the elder Wizard spoke now only to Severus. “You have earned a place among us. Roll up your sleeve.”_

_Severus did as he was told, rolling up the left sleeve of his robes. Voldemort pressed his wand against the skin of his newest Death Eater’s inner most forearm. It felt as if a red hot branding iron was being pressed into flesh, but Severus did not allow himself to flinch or show any indication that he was in pain. The Dark Mark appeared on his arm, as a bare skull with a snake winding in and out of the empty eye sockets and out of a slight open mouth._

_While the other Death Eaters, wearing their various robes and silver masks, cheered and applauded loudly, while Bellatrix merely clapped politely, her face a scowl._

“ _You went beyond our expectations by bringing in Warbeck.” Lucius said as he wrapped an arm around Severus’ shoulder and lead him out of the sitting room and into the entryway. “You have earned Our Lord’s trust, do not break it.”_

_Severus could only nod, his arm still burning as he rolled his sleeve back down. He apparated out of the mansion that Voldemort used as his headquarters, and into the backyard of his home. He was glad that nobody could see him over the overgrown shrubbery that surrounded the yard, his legs went out from underneath him, as he knelt in the grass by his mother’s herb garden._

_He might have gained entry into Voldemort’s inner circle, but keeping the darkness that grew within him at bay was like keeping starving wolves away from a wounded stag. He struggled to remind himself that he was now a Death Eater because he wanted to protect Annette and Lily from Lord Voldemort’s clutches, not for his own personal gain._

Severus shook his head and buried his fingers into his own hair. He tried desperately to shake the sound of Stanley’s death screams from his mind, like a dog shaking off water. With shaking hands, he yanked open the drawer in his nightstand and dug past the box of condoms, the leather bound journal his mother had given him, his crow feathered quill and his corked bottle of ink. He let out a sigh of relief as his fingers wrapped around the cool glass of the vial. He popped off the cork and slammed down the silver and white fog colored potion. The dreamless sleep potion was far more potent then he had wanted to be, and with an almost drunken relieved and exultant smile across his face.

Severus sank into sleep, slowly lulled by the liquid magic and the added weight of Annette’s beloved familiar, Gilbert. The sound and vibrations of the half-kneazle were also comforting, Gilbert was now nestled against the Half-Blood Prince’s side. The death of Stanley no longer haunting him, at least until he had to join the awakened world.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It might be awhile since chapter 5 is going to be posted. 2 to 3 weeks at most. Hopefully, I can post it on Thursday, March 28th. Please leave a comment or a kudos. 
> 
> -little sloth

Delora Negrescu came home from a twelve hour shift of healing the ill at Saint Mungo’s, only to find her husband in the garden at six o’clock in the morning. Baxter looked pale and he entire body was shaking, when he looked up at with tears streaming from his eyes as he clutched his head so hard that his own nails had dug into the skin of his temple, causing him to make himself bleed.

Delora knelt in front of him, and took his hands into her own. She ignored the strong gut wrenching smell of her husband’s dispelled stomach contents. “Who used the The Cruciatus Curse on you?”

“Death eaters, they were wearing masks.” Baxter groaned out, biting into his bottom lip to keep from crying out in agony.

“How many times did they use it on you?” Delora pressed, if it was more then one or two hits, she would need to bring Baxter into Saint Mungo’s and the up to the fourth floor where they healed fellow Witches and Wizard for spell damage.

“Four times.” Baxter answered, his stormy blue-grey eyes squeezed tightly closed.

Delora somehow found the strength to haul her husband to his feet, even though her own ached terribly. “You need to go Saint Mungo’s before your mind is permanently damaged.”

They apparated out of the back garden and a block away from Saint Mungo’s, and Delora held tightly onto Baxter’s arm, as they stopped in front the hospital, that was disguised as a shop with a terrifyingly ugly mannequin.

“Emergency Services needed.” Delora said, trying to keep herself composed, even though tears of worry were beginning to blur her vision, and almost made her voice feel choked. She struggled to get Baxter into the waiting room, all of his weight was supported by her now, since Baxter had loss consciousness when they were apparating.

Delora’s fellow healers rushed up to help her, their wands at the ready to cast spells that would treat Baxter’s wounds. The first to approach Delora was a short and stocky witch named Ramona Lager. Her rust colored hair tied back into a braid, and her lake blue eyes were wide with shock. The second healer was a tall and built wizard named Pierce Deering. His ash blonde was tied in a low ponytail, and his green hazel were gleaming with pity, but his face was a stone cold mask.

“What happened Delora?” Ramona questioned, as Pierce levitated Baxter on to a wheeled hospital bed that another nurse had pushed in with a hurry.

Delora struggled to keep her voice steady as tears slipped down her cheeks. “He was kidnapped and tortured by Death Eaters. They used the Cruciatus Curse on him four times. Please tell me, am I too late for him to cured?”

Pierce looked back at her from where he gripped one of the railings of bed along, with two other nurses. “We’ll do everything we can.” he promised her ,just before he apparated Baxter up to the fourth floor with the help of nurses.

Delora let out a quivering breath as she struggled to keep herself steady., and upright. Her whole body shook with fear, while tears continued to flow. Her healer composure was gone, this was different then healing patients she did not know.

This was Baxter, the wizard that she had dated, wed, and had children with, he was the wizard she loved. Ramona helped Delora into one of the private waiting rooms, and began making her a cup of chamomile tea and also adding a calming draught to it that she kept in the pockets of her uniform.

Ramona sat down across from Delora on the coffee table and handed her fellow healer the cup. Delora sipped it and she glanced up at Ramona. “You added a calming draught didn’t you?”

Romona nodded and held Delora’s hands in her own. “Trust me, darling, you needed it.”

Delora set the tea down on a small table that was in between the chairs. “I need to get letters to Annette and Quinn.”

Ramona gently pushed her back into a sitting position. “You need to rest, drink your tea. I will send the letters.”

Ramona left Delora and made her way to the owlery that was within Saint Mungo’s. She addressed the envelopes one to Annette that said that was at Saint Francis’ Sanctuary for Neglected and Mistreated Magical Creatures. She made sure to use Quinn’s alias, Yevgeni Vasilev, as he served as a spy at Durmstrang Institute as a charm professor.

Ramona picked out two of their best great horned owls, and opened up the sun roof above them, and watched as they flew away with the letters in their talons. Ramona stayed with Delora as long as could, when her shift was done she helped Delora back to her home. Ramona knew that Delora just sitting and the fearing the worst, would only wear the witch down even more.

Pierce would alert them via floo powder when he had official diagnoses. Ramona only hoped that Baxter would not have to live the rest of life within Saint Mungo’s, she hoped that for Delora and her family that the brain damage would not be permanent.

 

Annette sat out in the fields of Saint Francis’ her copper hair braided back and she was wearing her green robes with fwoopers decorating the fabric. It was the second to last day at Saint Francis’ and her final assignment was to record the mating habits of the Erumpents that called the magical creature sancturary their home.

She was quick to record what she saw, and made sure to add in the details, that she needed in order to get an Outstanding on her entire Magizoologist portfolio. Not only had she had to one for her desired degree, but she also had to have one completed for Herbology, Magical Creature Medical Training and Medicinal Potion Crafting, and a completed portfolio for Magical Creature Languages that included Gobbledegook, Mermish, and Troll.

She had all of them completed, save for the one, for her to finish Magizoologist portfolio, her final entry that she needed was one she was going to finish before the sunset entirely. The ten page long essay would soon be completed. When she was done observing and recording the mating rituals of the Erumpents. She had a camera at her side, ready to capture the moment that the male mounted the female. Annette needed the picture as proof that she had not just pulled all of her information out of textbooks from the Sanctuary's library.

Annette felt as if she was intruding on something that was supposed to be a sacred and cherished act between the pair. Her favorite part being the somehow graceful and adorably clumsy roll the male and female did during the dance.

As embarrassment heated up her cheeks, Annette snapped a photo of the Erumpents together. With a light smile of satisfaction and pride, she closed the binder and stood up to leave the fields, she found herself to be a little sad, her journey here would be over once she recived her liscence. The soon-to-be Seventh Year Hufflepuff waited until she was in the dormitory entryway, before she removed the silent spell off herself, she had also used a scent hiding spell, because she knew just staying down wind would not get her the picture and the rest of the information she had needed.

Annette took her dorm key out of the pocket of her robes and opened the door, to find her roommates all sitting on the couch in their pajamas with a giant bowl of cheddar cheese popcorn in between them. A projection screen in front of them played the movie, _My Fair Lady._ Daria had brought it, all the wayfrom her home the States. Her excuse was simply this, it was ridiculous that Brigitte and Hinata had never seen the film.

The awe inspiring part of being at Saint Francis’ was the fact that the entire facility used Muggle electricity to run all of the buildings. And there was not a rule stating that they could not bring electrical devices and objects onto the property.

Annette wished to join them, but first she wanted a shower.

She was just about to go to room, when Daria announced with a fistful of popcorn clutched in her hand, the popped corn kernals ready to go into her mouth, “There’s a letter for you on the table, it has urgent stamped on it.”

Annette could feel cold sweat and panic slither down her spine, she had to choke back a swallow of air and saliva in order to remind herself to breath. “Who sent it?”

“Saint Mungo’s.” Daria replied with her mouth full, making Brigitte cringe in disgust.

Annette’s binder and satchel thudded to floor, as she ran to the kitchen table, she tore open the envelope in an animalistic manner. She read over the letter quickly and struggled to keep the tears that were threatening to slip, out of her eyes so they would not blur her vision.

“I-I need to go….” She said in almost a whisper.

“The bathroom’s open, Annie. Just go use it.” Daria said with concern.

“I need to go home.” Annette said, louder this time.

Daria stopped the projector with the flick of her wand. “We’re only two weeks from graduating with our licenses.”

“I-I know, but my father’s been admitted to Saint Mungo’s, I need to go home.” Annette explained, her voice and hands shaking.

Daria stood then, the popcorn and movie forgotten. She hugged Annette and used _accio_ summon the British Witch’s bathrobe and a towel. “You go and shower, we will pack your belongings. I’ll get you snacks and drinks for the train ride home.”

Annette smiled sadly, “Thank you.”

Annette took two deep breaths before she could bring herself to knock on the _Madame Concierge’s_ office door.Her hair was still damp and she had dressed in a haste, not wanting to waste anymore time.Annette wore Severus’ AC/DC t-shirt, and a pair of her own faded jeans, the shoelaces on her trainers were already coming undone.

She was about to knock a second time when Laetitia Amant D'animaux opened the door. The middle-aged half-blood witch’s hand barely covered her mouth in time with the sleeve of her robe before it could escape. She narrowed her tired pale purple eyes at Annette angrily for being woken up at 11 o’clock at night.

“Mademoiselle Negrescu, do you know how late it is?”

The Hufflepuff knew exactly how late it was, she had wanted to be here much sooner, but the tearful goodbyes with her roommates had lasted longer then Annette had thought possible. They had exchanged hugs, stories, had taken pictures together, and had exchanged addresses so the quartet could continue to keep in touch.

Annette did her best not to flinch at Laetitia’s withering gaze. “Yes, Madam. I know it is late, and I apologize for waking you. I must return home, it’s urgent.” She dug the letter that had been refolded and placed back into the envelope out of the pocket of her satchel.

Laetitia sat down at her desk and turned the phoenix shaped lamp that was on her desk. It illuminated both the letter and her ember light hair that was loose and spilled down her shoulders, nearly to her waist. With pity and understanding in her eyes, Laetitia’s gaze fell back to her pupil. Annette had entered the office and had sat down in one of the silver cushioned chairs. “You may return home, do you have all of your portfolios finished?” Laetitia's long and sharpened to a deadly point nails gleamed as she folded them to together. The turquoise nail polish with crescent moons done in banana yellow, did not make her seem any less intimidating.

 

Rumors floated around Saint Francis’, that the Headmistress was not a full-blooded Witch, but was half Siren. Laetitia had a large tub under her desk, sloshing around noisily as she placed her feet within it once more, the water smelled like what was exactly in the building where the mistreated and orphaned merpeople were housed.

Annette had always wondered why the male population within the grounds always stopped and stared at Laetitia, has she strolled past normally singing the words to ‘As I Roved Out’. Now she had finally come to an answer to her inquiry. The only way to confirm such a theory was to ask the Headmistress outright, but Annette did not wish to pry.

Annette used _accio_ to float the binders in and on to the Headmistress’ desk. There were at least forty-eight binders, and a smile of pride spread across Laetitia’s exhausted face.

“Excellent, I will send you your results via owl. If you are unable to return in time for the graduation ceremony then I will also send you your Magizoologist license.”

“Thank you, Madame.” Annette replied, the worry and panic out weighted her pride.

She stood and made to leave the office, and get her four luggage bags onto the earliest train that arrived at four in the morning. She still needed to buy a ticket to get back so her mother would not be fretting alone, and the train ride would be nearly four hours.

Annette floated her luggage behind her and made her way to the carriages that would bring her to the train station. The carriage was forest green in color and the driver, a Yumbo, looked very grumpy as he let out a loud of huff of disapproval as Annette boarded the carriage with her luggage now latched down at top. The carriage was being pulled by a pair of very excited and eager Three-Headed Dogs.

She awoke with a start as the carriage stopped abruptly, nearing making her luggage fall from the rack, and almost sent Annette on to wooden flooring.

Stumbling out of the carriage she did her best not touch any of it that was covered with Three-Headed dog drool. The sourfaced Yumbo helped her get her luggage into the waiting area, and held out his hand.

Annette placed an entire pull-string purse into the Yumbo’s hand. When he opened to find cauldron cakes, he nearly smiled before leaving Annette alone in the station.

With tired dragging steps, the adrenaline fueled panic had finally worn off. She looked inside the ticket booth to find a snoring stocky and short half-blooded wizard that had the distinct features of being part vampire.Annette knocked on the glass, nearly making the half vampire jump and struggle not to spill his cup of what Annette could only deduce as a warm cup of cow blood. She made an attempt to not cover nose and mouth with her hand, and her body had a hard time not heaving. The coppery smell was infiltrating her nostrils.

“Can I help you?” his voice was slurred with sleep and annoyance.

“I need a ticket for the four o’clock train, please.” Annette said her own weariness only heightening her impatience.

The half-vampire arched a perfectly plucked to perfection eyebrow. “The AM train? You must be in a rush.” He took her money with his clawed fingers and handed Annette her ticket.

Annette took it and with her luggage following behind her, she had transfigured what appeared to be the hooves of a donkey onto the inanimate objects. Her arm had grown tired and she could feel her magic depleting as she kept up with the levitation and follow-me spells.

The transfiguration and follow-me spells were a little less draining.

She undid the transfiguration and the follow-me spell as the uniformed wizard took her luggage and followed her into an empty compartment. In fact the entire train was empty of other passengers, it was a ghost town compared to how packed it had been when she had first arrived on the the twenty-sixth of June and had boarded this very train, and now they were two weeks away from graduating from Saint Francis’ in the muggy heat of August.

Annette silently began to pray to Eir, the Norse goddess of health and healing for her father to recover and then sent another prayer to Vör, the Norse goddess of wisdom that she would gain her Magizoologist license. But the moment she finished her second prayer she felt guilt and shame wash over, she felt as if she was being swallowed up by her own selfishness. Struggling to shake the emotions that were beginning to take over her, she dug her two-sided mirror of the side pocket of her satchel.

The sleepy face and groggy black eyes of Severus Snape greeted her. Annette’s half-kneazle Gilbert was nestled along Severus’ right side, barely cracking open his eyes to see who was disturbing him, only to close them again with a meow of annoyance.

“What’s the matter, Nettie?” Severus asked knowing instantly that something was off with his beloved badger. Her hazel eyes shined with tears, dried streak marks on her cheeks, and dark bags under her eyes.

“My dad has been admitted to Saint Mungo’s. Can you pick me up at King’s Cross at about nine?”

Annette struggled to hold back a sob. Severus longed to hold her close, and could feel guilt beginning to eat away at him. Was it his fault or Lucius’ that had sent Baxter to Saint Mungo’s or was it another Death Eater that had taken him as its prey when Baxter was in such a weakened state?

“Of course, try to get some sleep.” Severus said, seeing that she was already beginning to doze off.

“I’ll try. I love you, Severus.” the words came out in a whisper filled with exhaustion.

“I love you too, Annette.”

The screens on both mirrors went back to simply showing their owners’ reflections. Annette then used her satchel as a pillow after removing her cloak from it to use as a blanket. It did not take long for Annette to drift off into slumber.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My deepest apologizes for the long wait, but I finally was able to get all of my chapters back for this story! I hope you enjoy chapter 5 and please leave a comment or a kudos!

Severus waited for Annette at the barrier of platform nine and three quarters. Gilbert waited at the half-blood prince’s feet, keeping himself busy by washing his face. Annette practically stumbled out of the barrier that surrounded the platform between numbers nine and ten. Severus wrapped his arms around her, guilt overwhelmed him again, as Annette practically sank into him, her face buried in the fabric of his Styx t-shirt. Her sigh of relief and contentment nearly made his heart ache.

Severus’ Aunt Calanthia took Annette’s luggage, as Severus helped Annette to the car, where his mother, and his little sister, Desdemona, waited. The nine month old was busy playing peek-a-boo with the character Paul from her book, Pat the Bunny. She looked up when the car door opened, when Annette sat down beside her she giggled with delight, her ocean blue eyes shining with happiness.

Annette could not help smiling even with her own exhaustion wanting pull her into a much needed sleep. “Hello Desdemona, I missed you too.”

Gilbert laid himself across the top of the backseat and purred happily, as he soaked up the sun, that was shining through the back window. Annette rested her head against Severus’ arm, she did not mind being squished between her boyfriend, and the car seat that kept his sister, Desdemona safe from harm.

The radio played the song, Sound of Silence by Garfunkel and Oates, as they made their back to Spinner’s End. The air was thick with humidity, as Severus pushed the front passenger seat forward, since Aunt Calanthia had left her seat. Once the door was open, Severus got out and then helped Annette. Gilbert reluctantly left his seat, and made his way inside of the house with Eileen, who had Desdemona resting on her hip. Aunt Calanthia took Annette’s luggage from the back, where the spare seats were folded down. Calanthia went inside, glad for the chilling relief of the air conditioning.

The Half-Blood Prince intertwined his fingers with Annette’s, as they joined his family inside. Eileen set Desdemona down on a quilt, that was spread out on the floor near the couch, so her daughter could play with Mister Potato Head, so she could make them a light breakfast, while Calanthia watched over her. The heavy pounding of feet, startled Annette from her groggy daze, as Severus’ cousins came down the stairs. Leopold was going to be starting his third year at Durmstrang Institute, while Margaret still had another year to wait before she could join her brother.

Margaret sat down on the floor beside Desdemona, to help her build a tower out of her alphabet blocks.

Leopold sat down at the kitchen table working on his summer homework for his core classes at Durmstrang. The books for his two elective courses sat off to the side, since he would just be starting Arithmancy and Study of Ancient Runes, there was not any homework yet.

Annette stumbled toward the fireplace, her hands shakily reaching for the faded and slightly rusty coffee can, that held the Snape household’s supply of floo powder. Severus sent Annette’s luggage up to his room by using a combination of _ locus machabees _ and  _ volitant _ . The trunk and two suitcases, hovered their way up the stairs and toward Severus’ bedroom on their own.

Just as Annette was about to peel the battered lid from off the coffee can, Severus scooped her into his arms. The exhausted pureblood witch automatically wrapped her legs around his waist and arms around his neck, like a sloth or a koala hanging onto a tree branch.

Annette’s words came out somnolent. “We have to go to Saint Mungo’s, I need to see my father.”

Severus pressed a kiss to her cheek as he made his way up the stairs. “He is in the best care possible, and your mother is certainly by his side.”

“But…” Annette tried to squirm out of Severus’ hold, but her efforts of escape were futile.

“No arguing, you need sleep and then food. Your father is going to be more worried about you, then his own health and recovery, if you go to see him so disheveled and debilitated.”

Annette could not help the yawn that consumed her sigh. “Okay…you’re right.”

With his precious badger still clinging to him like a sloth, he waved his hand at the door in a shooing motion and using the spell patentibus nonverbally. The door opened with a tad bit of a squeak as the worn hinges and door heeded to the magic.

Severus gently placed Annette on the bed, the black and grey plaid comforter was freshly washed as were the grey fitted sheet, flat sheet, and pillowcases. The pillowcases were the only colors that stood out. The cases were decorated with the beloved bear, Paddington, wearing his signature deep blue raincoat and floppy red hat. When Severus had gone into the linen closet earlier that morning, he could not find the pillowcases that matched with his chosen bedding. And he could help feeling embarrassed about the cartoon bear.

Severus’ helped Annette to get out of her muggle attire, and happily gave her one of his clean t-shirts. The shirt covered Annette down to her knees, once Severus tucked her in, she scooted until she was on the right side, close to the wall. It did not take her long to fall asleep, and Gilbert made himself comfortable by lying down on top of Annette’s ribcage, his head on her hip.

The half-kneazle purred contently, Severus joined them on the bed, and took the book he had been reading last night from his nightstand. He carefully took the bookmark from its spot in An Interview with the Vampire. Immersing himself once again into the second part of the novel.

Her dream faded as the real world came back into focus slowly. The smell of Gain laundry detergent filled her nose first, then before Annette could even roll over to left side, her cheek and nose were consumed by Gilbert’s furry black and white face. The half-Kneazle purred so loudly and with such a fierceness of joy that it rumbled against her skin.

Annette pressed a kiss to her familiar's cheek and nose in return. Satisfied with gaining her returned affections, Gilbert leapt onto the windowsill above, his large fluffy tail swishing back and forth in excitement. The feline’s tail whipped in front of Severus’ face like a windshield wiper, excited chirps came from Gilbert’s mouth as birds flew by the window. Annoyed, a smirk of inspiration spread across Severus’ face as his mind crafted a plan to get Gilbert to give both the witch and wizard some time alone. Severus grabbed his wand from where it laid on his nightstand. With a couple of graceful and practiced wands movement, a holey and worn sock was transfigured into a catnip filled toy stuffed mouse Gilbert launched himself from the windowsill and onto the floor in one elegant and fluid bound, the song birds now forgotten. He batted at the toy relentlessly, he chased it passed the open bedroom door out into the hallway.

Annette rolled over to face Severus and rested her head on his shoulder, he placed a kiss to her copper locks. “What time is it?” she asked groggily.

Severus smiled just a little and set his bookmark at the start of part three, he glanced over at his digital alarm clock. “four o’clock in the afternoon.”

“I didn’t mean to sleep for so long!” Annette said in a panic, she climbed over Severus to reach her jeans. She hastily yanked them on over her panties, just as she was about to grab her sneakers, Severus gently laid a hand on her arm.

“Slow down, Nettie.” He said pulling her back with a gentle embrace, so she sat on his lap.

Annette took a deep breath, pressing her face into the fabric of his shirt. She was going to say she did not even have time to eat, when her stomach betrayed her by snarling angrily to her in protest.

“Mum left a plate warmed up for you. Eat, get yourself proper, and then we’ll go see your father. Okay?”

Annette nodded and kissed her Slytherin boyfriend. “Okay, I love you.”

Severus smiled and returned the kiss, “I love you too.”

The badger did her best not shovel her food into her mouth like an animal. The meal was simple, but delicious nonetheless. She used the fried bread as a fork for her dippy eggs, and finished eating her small bowl of peaches and blueberries.

Once she had finished her third cup of green tea, she placed her breakfast dishes in the sink, and while pulling on her socks, she made her way to the half-bath next to Eileen’s bedroom. Thanks to magic, Eileen had been able to add the bedrooms and bathrooms, that were needed to accommodate guests and family, without making the muggles in the neighborhood suspicious. It was like being in the Doctor’s T.A.R.D.I.S. Smaller on the outside, bigger on the inside.

Teeth brushed. and her copper hair done up in a low bun, with her Hufflepuff tie as a holder, Annette returned to Severus’ side. He waited for her next to the fireplace, Gilbert wound himself in figure eights between the Half-Blood Prince’s legs.

Since his mother, little sister, aunt, and cousins had decided to go on a walk and visit the local ice cream parlor in Spinner’s End, he made sure to leave a note, stating his and Annette’s whereabouts so Eileen Snape would not be worried.

Gilbert cried in a pouty way, because he was not allowed to go with them to Saint Mungo’s, and settled himself on the arm of the couch. The half-kneazle continued to glare at the pureblood witch and half-blood wizard, as they engulfed by the bright green flames.

Severus and Annette stepped out of the fireplace, and ended up outside of the waiting room door. Annette recoiled a little when she saw the back of the mannequin that was in the front window of Saint Mungo’s “They really need to get it a wig.” she muttered, causing Severus to chuckle quietly.

The waiting room of Saint Mungo’s was filled nearly to compacity from all the injured and ailing wizards and witches. A young witch sat next to her balding father, when the young witch stuck her tongue out at her elder sibling, a snake tongue emerged instead of one that belonged to both Muggles and Magical.

The older sister went to flip her sister the bird, but was unable to because her hands were in the shape of Malayan tapir hooves.

A wizard, who looked like he had just graduated from Hogwarts recently, was struggling to talk to the witch who held his hand in reassurance. Every word that he spoke was backwards. A young boy with a wastebasket in his lap, was doing his best not to vomit, he looked pale and sweaty, as a frog kept trying to escape from the depths of his throat.

A frustrated and tired witch had a leash in her hand, floating above her in a harness that was attached to the leash was a four-year-old girl. She giggled as she tried to touch the ceiling. The wizard beside them, looked extremely guilty, as the mother glared icily at him.

Annette approached the receptionist desk, only to see Remus sitting in the seat, reading a book titled T _ he Worst Life to Live: Vampires and Werewolves. _ His green eyes lifted away from the page he was on, and he cleared his throat almost nervously, when he noticed the Slytherin and Hufflepuff.

“Hello, Remus. Getting prepared for D.A. already?” Annette greeted the werewolf in wizard skin, with a soft smile.

“I finished all of my summer homework, this is just for...my own research.” He quickly scanned Severus and Annette for serious bodily injury or any bleeding. His green eyes nearly went to the scars on Severus’ wrists, but he stopped himself before he could.

Before he could ask, Annette explained, not wishing to waste anymore time. “I’m here to see my father, Baxter Negrescu.”

Remus glanced at a cork board behind him, the scroll that was held to it by magic, it constantly changed room numbers to surgeries and tests that needed to be done, or where currently being performed. The precise and easy to read chart,was thanks to a quill with a turkey feather that had a combination of complex spell work imbedded in it, so it could function and move on its own accord.

“He is on the fifth floor in room forty-two.” Remus informed her.

“Thank you, see you at King’s Cross.” Annette and Severus pushed open the visitors’ doors, and made their way down the hallway with its bone and wand crossed tiles. The walls were decorated with moving photographs of hospital staff and paintings.

Annette did her best to ignore the witch that was seated in a wheelchair being pushed by a nurse. The witch had long white hair and eyebrows, but she looked to be about Annette’s age, if not older. Her green eyes seemed distance and hollow, she said a nursery rhyme in a voice that was so quiet that they almost didn’t hear her. In her thin hands the white haired witch was fiddling with a stuffed animal Niffler.

_  A man of words and not of deeds _

_ Is like a garden full of weeds. _

_ And when the weeds begin to grow _

_ It's like a garden full of snow. _

_ And when the snow begins to fall _

_ It's like a bird upon the wall. _

_ And when the bird away does fly _

_ It's like an eagle in the sky. _

_ And when the sky begins to roar _

_ It's like a lion at the door. _

_ And when the door begins to crack _

_ It's like a stick across your back. _

_ And when your back begins to smart... _

_ It's like a penknife in your heart. _

_ And when your heart begins to bleed _

_ You're dead, and dead, and dead indeed. _

When she got to the last line, she was screaming it, as if the witch herself was dying. The nurse did her best to calm her, “Quiet now, Mary. You are safe here, I promise. We don’t want to be late for your mother’s visit in the gardens, do we? We can show all of the different flowers you can name.”

Annette continued down the hallway, a little shaken from what she had just witnessed. Severus squeezed her hand. Annette stood outside of the room, the door was open. But she was hesitant to go inside. A healer had a well-trimmed beard, his facial hair and the hair on the top of his head, were a mix of onyx black and nickel-like silver. He was currently giving her father an exam to see how much of his memory was intact with a series of questions.

The shuffling of worn shoes, and the soft singing of a Chinese lullaby, a Doll of Clay, dragged Annette from her worries. Her brother Quinn, who she barely recognized, was walking toward her and Severus. Quinn was still muscular, but he had grown a beard and mustache, it was styled in a balbo cut. His dark chocolate brown, almost dark enough to be black hair, was nearly down to his shoulders, and he had it pulled up into a bun. His blue eyes were tired and he had dark bags under his eyes, but he was smiling.

Quinn pressed a kiss to his son, Emil’s forehead, the five-month-old baby, had his mother’s silky midnight black hair, and his father’s blue eyes.

Quinn gently handed their first child back to Lan. The British-Chinese witch’s hair was braided back into a fishtail. Exhaustion was clear on her face, and it shimmered in her whiskey brown eyes, but she also seemed elated to have Quinn by her side again. Her Chinese cheongsam, that was made with a fabric that was patterned with bouvardia doubles and white heathers, was slightly wrinkled.

Quinn embraced his little and only sister, and gently patted her head. “Dad will be okay, Annette.”

The Hufflepuff turned to look over at the now-closed hospital room door. “Are you sure?”

The exhausted voice of her mother, gave Annette an answer, she did not want to hear. “Healer Löfgren, can’t give us a positive answer yet. Your father knew who I was, but when I showed him pictures of you at the ages you are now, he didn’t know who you were. 

But when I showed him a picture of both of you, at ages one and four, he knew you. Your father thinks it’s nineteen sixty-two.” Annette could see her mother about to break, so she embraced her mother tightly. They were only three inches apart in height, Delora pressed her face into her daughter’s shoulder, and finally allowed herself to sob.

Once Quinn had convinced their mother to release Annette, the Hufflepuff practically dragged Severus into one of the few empty private waiting rooms. She quickly casted muffliato, and before Severus could stop her, she yanked his left arm toward her, and turned it so she could see the under side.

Her grip was iron strong, and even though he could have stopped her, he did not want too.

He just hoped that she would understand, and not shatter his heart to slivers. Annette did her best to force back her tears of anger and disappointment. She could feel the magic pulsating around Severus’ inner left arm. He was using a chameleon and concealment spell to keep the Dark Mark well hidden from anyone that would look too closely. Annette wrapped her arm around the place where the Dark Mark should have been visible, she pressed down hard, and did her best to not start sweating with the heavy amount of her own magic she was using, conteram augurium was a powerful spell, and even without using her wand, it was still difficult to pull off.

Annette felt both spells shatter, and her magic stopped vibrating against Severus’ skin. The Dark Mark could be seen so easily now, and Annette took several deep breaths to calm herself.

**“** D-Did you break my father’s mind?” she asked, tears beginning to blur her vision as she practically collapsed onto the loveseat.

Severus sat down across from her and pressed his own hand on the Dark Mark re-setting the chameleon and concealment spells. “No, that was Lucius.”

**“** If you tried to stop him, would he have killed you?” Annette questioned, her voice quivering.

**“** Yes.” Severus gently pulled Annette close to him, until she was in his lap, with his arms wrapped around her like a cocoon. “No matter how close he and I are, he would never show me any mercy, he is far too loyal to Voldemort.” He was careful not to add the title ‘Lord’ in front of the dark Wizard’s name, or to call him, ‘Our or my Dark Lord’.

**“** Why didn’t you just walk away from the invitation to join a wizard, who doesn’t care about the consequences?” she begged to know, her fingers digging and coiling into the fabric of Severus’ t-shirt.

**“** I want to take him down from inside his own sanctuary, and I will be working as a double agent when I become an Auror, and I have far more knowledge about the dark arts then any of the Marauders. Potter would easily fuck it up, with his must-be-hero attitude. 

Lily would never be able to stomach what Voldemort orders his followers to do.”

“And if you are caught before then? You would spend ten years in Azkaban just for having the Dark Mark on your skin!” Severus could tell that Annette was starting to spiral, he pressed a kiss to her hair, and held her just a little tighter.

“I know, Annette.” Severus reassured her.

“You need to tell Headmaster Dumbledore about your maniac plan, after the welcoming feast.”

“I will, don’t worry.” Severus said, Annette was surprised that he was so calm and so confident in his double-agent plan.

“I have every right to worry. Promise me, you will speak to Headmaster Dumbledore, hopefully he will back you up, and give you a glowing recommendation letter.” Annette mumbled into the fabric.

“I promise. You aren’t going to break up with me?” Severus said, in awe that the Hufflepuff had not stormed off and smashed both their hearts.

Annette sniffled loudly, before she could answer, she lifted her head away from his t-shirt. “I love you far too much to do that, even if you can be such a numpty. But I am still fucking pissed at you!” she laid her head on his chest, she was far too emotionally drained to storm off.

“You tried to fix my father’s mind, didn’t you?” she dropped _muffliato_ , and kissed Severus.

He returned her token of affection, “I repaired his mind, the best that I could.”


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I will be updating this story every Thursday! Comments and kudos are very appreciated.

A loud annoyed squawk awoke Annette from where she had been buried under an open upside book. She pulled the book away from her face, the drowsy blurred words about mermaids that made their homes at the beaches, lakes, and ponds of the States. Annette set the book on the nightstand, and found herself face to face with a shoe bill stork. She took the letter from out of the pale blue leather pouch that hung over it like a student would carry a messenger bag. The bird was about to nip the letter back, but Annette gave him the payment that he sought and flew off in a hurry, leaving a few feathers behind.

The Hufflepuff reluctantly dragged herself out of her bed, glad that her mother had a cast a cooling air enchantment on the house. The clouds outside were gray and gloomy, with the promise of rain, and the humidity that felt as thick and stifling as wool, made it almost unbearable. She raked her hair into a subtle messy bun with her fingers and her school tie, and made her way down the steps and in the kitchen.

Her father sat at the kitchen table, a bowl of porridge still steaming hot and cup of tea beside it. The Daily Prophet crinkled in his hands. Gilbert sat outside on the patio table, watching birds with a twitching tail and frustrated chirping noises. Annette stepped on to the tile floor, instantly regretting that she had gotten to put on her niffler shaped slippers, the floor was nearly ice cold.

She used accio to get the honey out of the cabinet above the stove and the peanut butter. A simple flick of her wand sent the bread into the oven, so it could be made into toast.

“Are you excited to start your fourth year?” Baxter asked casually.

Annette froze and so did the toast she had been retrieving from the oven with the aid of Wingardium Leviosa. “Daddy, I’m starting my final year at Hogwarts.”

Baxter brow wrinkled in confusion and he forced a smile. “Right, of course.”

Annette had left the letter from Saint Francis's Sanctuary for Neglected and Mistreated Magical Creatures on the table. It was a navy blue envelope with silver ink and a silver seal keeping the contents where they needed to be, at least until Annette finished her breakfast.

Baxter picked up the envelope, “You didn’t get in trouble did you?” he teased gently, Annette could tell that her father was frustrated with his shattered mind.

“No, it’s my final grades for my internship at Saint Francis's.” Once she had finished her morning meal, she put the dishes into the sink, and scrubbed her hands clean of honey and peanut butter. It had been a sticky mess, a savory disarray.

Baxter was antsy, he was not used to being still. His job always kept him on the move, and sitting at home, slowly putting the puzzle back together that had become his memories was going to drive him mad. Healer Löfgren had kept him at Saint Mungo’s for three days, he had to be positive that Baxter’s mind was stable enough for him to go home. Now Baxter was on a six month paid sabbatical, until he recovered enough to return to work, but he would need Healer Löfgren’s approval first.

Annette opened the envelope from Laetitia Amant D'animaux, carefully. She pulled the parchment out of it, glad that it was not brick red like a howler. Her grades were written in amethyst ink, but above it was a paragraph that made Annette’s olive green eyes blurred with tears for a moment.

Dear Mademoiselle Negrescu,

I am pleased to let you know that you have passed with flying colors. You are a brilliant young witch, and I know that you will go far in this world of ours, helping fellow Magizoologists to uncover the secrets that are still hidden among both the Magical and Muggle. I wish you the best of luck for your future endeavors. I hope that your father makes a swift recovery. If you cannot return to Germany, please give me notice.

Your grades are as followed:

Herbology: Outstanding

Magical Creature Medical Training: Outstanding

Medicinal Potion Crafting: Outstanding

Magical Creature Languages-

Gobbledegook: Outstanding

Mermish: Outstanding

Troll: Outstanding

Annette squealed softly to herself and showed the letter to her father, Baxter stood and embraced his daughter, so she was squished into his chest. “I am so proud of you, sweetheart.” He gave her a bear hug one last time, before he released her.

“Will you be alright, if I go and visit Severus at Slug and Jiggers?” she sent the now empty and dirty dishes to the sink that was full of hot and soap, and made sure to get the scrub brush to do its job of making the plates, silverware, and cups that they ate with, become clean by casting a charm spell.

“I will be perfectly fine, Nettie. I am not an old man. I don’t think you should go see your boyfriend in your pajamas though.”

Annette glanced down at her set of pale blue pajama bottoms decorated with Chinese chomping cabbages. “Right, good call.”

She made her way upstairs and put on worn pair of jeans and a mint green tunic, while her father worked on the crossword puzzle in The Daily Prophet. Annette put on her sneakers as she struggled to keep the wide sleeves of her thistle robes decorated in Irish phoenixes over her muggle attire, her hair braided instead.

 

Baxter now sat in the living room, the radio was tuned to a show that was having a heated discussion about the usage of dragons in war. He was still working on the crossword puzzle.

Annette stood in front of the fireplace, her hand already in the porcelain jar that sat on the mantle, with the floo powder in hand, she was about to step in and go the Leaky Cauldron when her father stopped her.

“What’s a seven letter word for a reptile that does not have eyelids, has internal ears, and be found on every continent except for Antarctica?” he asked, the word was on the tip of his tongue, snake was not long enough, being two letters short.

“Serpent.” Annette replied, she said the name of the inn and bar that kept the barrier to Diagon Alley hidden. She was engulfed in green flames, missing the look of recollection on her father’s face, and that the color drained from his face as a haunting memory returned.

Severus stood in front of a glass case, the money within the pouch that he carried around his waist suddenly felt as if it weighed as much as a Erumpent.

The ring felt heavy in the palm of his hand, it had a silver band and the stones been shaped to form the intertwined bodies of a serpent and badger, the badger sat in the middle of the snake’s coils, the snake’s head was resting atop the badger’s. The snake was made out of a black tourmaline gemstone with its eyes made from garnet. The badger’s body was crafted out of rose quartz, its eyes and nose made from aquamarine gems.

The towering wizard who had inherited Linked Hearts Jewelers, stood behind the counter. He wore silver robes with mulberry demiguise decorating it, whose tails twisted together to shape hearts. He held in his hands the velvet covered box that held the engagement ring that Severus had ordered and designed himself to propose to Annette. The box for the ring was covered in navy blue velvet, the zodiac signs of Aries and Capricorn decorated the top in silver thread.

“Is it to your liking, sir?” the wizard asked, his name tag that was in the shape of an owl with its wings spread wide had his name written in white ink, Eros.

“Yes, it’s perfect.” Severus replied and put the entire pouch that jingled with coins on the counter. Instead of putting the engagement ring money in the bank with the rest of his paycheck, he had some of his paycheck made into coin, so he could save for the important piece of jewelry easier.

“Thank you, Mister Koppelaarster.”

He smiled, “It was a pleasure. I know your beloved will say yes.”

Severus could only nod in agreement, as he placed the engagement ring back into its box, and tucked the box into his satchel, he left Linked Hearts and reentered the hustle and bustle of Diagon Alley. His lunch break was nearly over, he needed to return to Slug and Jiggers before he was late.

Annette stepped out of the fireplace of the Leaky Cauldron, she was glad that she wasn’t covered in soot or slivers of wood. She waved to Tom the barkeep and exited the pub, tapping on the bricks in the correct order and entering Diagon Alley.

If the streets had not been so crowded, Annette would have made it to the apothecary sooner. The smells of potion ingredients greeted her. Pandora waved to her, and pointed to the backroom where Severus was brewing liquid magic. Annette raised her eyebrow in confusion, when Pandora waved at her, the Ravenclaw’s robe sleeve flopped over her left hand. “I’ll tell you after work, Nettie.” she promised.

“You better, you are horrible at keeping secrets, Pan.” she teased, Pandora smiled back coyly.

Annette hugged Severus from behind and pressed a kiss to his cheek. He smiled softly, “Hello, love.”

Annette placed her grade report on top of the instructions for the potion that Severus was now placing into a bottle. “I’m getting my license!” She whisper-squealed.

Annette let go of Severus and backed up, so he could get up from his chair. The Slytherin embraced her, lifting her off the ground a little. “I knew you would.” He praised and kissed her. “You are going to be a brilliant magizoologist.”

“You are going to be a fantastic Auror.” Annette said with a grin, and kissed him one more time before he set her down.

While Severus and Pandora were working, Annette sat at a table within Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor, rain trickling down the windows. She kept herself occupied by reading Merpeople of the States. It was the same book that she had been reading the night before, until she fell asleep in the middle of the chapter about lake merpeople and their eating habits.

The bell tolled softly above the door, and the soft curses in Irish brought Annette out of the notes she had been taking, while reading. Jenna let out a huff of annoyance as she sat down next to her fellow Hufflepuff. Rainwater dripped off her fire red curls, and from her rain cloak.

“How is your da?” Jenna asked while she managed to tame her hair into a messy bun.

“He’s getting better.” Annette answered, putting her notebook and book into her travel satchel.

“How are you and Gandalf?”

“He’s working at the Magical Menagerie, and I’ve been working at Twilfitt and Tatting's, everything is going well between us.”

Annette smiled softly, “You’ve told me so in our letters. Anything else?”

Jenna sighed and glared at her best friend a little, “We haven’t been baking the potato either.”

“That poor potato...it will not get to know the pleasure that the oven will bring it.” Annette quipped, Jenna only shook her head, trying to keep her mouth clamped tightly, so she would not laugh.

Pandora joined the pair as they stood at the counter ready to place their orders. Once they all had their dishes of ice cream, the trio returned to the table. Jenna took the rainbow sprinkles that were on the table and poured an overly generous amount on her salted caramel and apple pie ice cream.

Annette scooped up a mouthful of her own, the blueberry and honey ice cream tasted divine, she knew she was going to order a to-go cup of white chocolate and cherry cheesecake for Severus, since he was at home babysitting his little sister and cousins, while his mother and aunt were out at a movie.

“Spill, Pandora,” Annette began to say, but before could finish Pandora was searching the fabric her robes, that were the color of a pink amaranth flower and were decorated with black ravens. She was trying to make sure that she had not splattered pumpkin pasty ice cream on herself.

“Your robes are free of ice cream, no need to fret. Annette and I want to know why you are hiding your left hand.” Jenna said, Pandora smiled.

The Ravenclaw undid the lengthening spell that she cast on the sleeve of her robe. She then showed the girls her left hand. On her ring finger was a ring that was made from cobalt. The gemstones in the center were the shape of a heart. The left side of the heart’s gemstone was an angelite, the right side was carnelian. Surrounding the heart was the wings of a nightingale crafted from green apatite. Jenna and Annette smiled out of pure joy and sandwiched Pandora in a hug. Jenna began to ask questions about the wedding and what color the dress was going to be.

Annette continued to eat her ice cream when an inquiry, that she mused aloud, hoping for an answer. “Why are we attracted to a man’s bum?”

Jenna nearly choked on her ice cream and Pandora busted out laughing. Annette laughed as well, before saying, “There is no way other women are thinking, ‘hey that man has a perky ass. with that bum he’ll be able to keep me safe and help provide for our future family’ .”

“If I remember correctly from a lecture in muggle studies, the anatomy of us and non-magical folks do not have any differences. And that the reason some women are attracted to such a body part is because it has to do with fertility.” Jenna said.

“Oh, well, I did not fall in love with Severus because of his bum.” Annette said, scrapping the remains of her ice cream on her spoon, and into her mouth.

“Is it because it’s as flat as a crepe?” Jenna asked in a teasing manner.

“No,” Annette nearly snorted, “I’m just not a bum lady.”

“Me either.” Pandora chimed in.

“Maybe a tad.” Jenna confessed, blushing.

All three of them departed for their families’ homes. Annette stepped out of the fireplace to find her father leaving with a duffle bag hanging off his shoulder, before she could ask what was happening, Baxter apparated with a pop.

Annette still confused and now stunned, walked into the kitchen to find her mother sitting at the table, sobbing.

“Mum, what’s wrong?” Annette asked while made her mother a cup of tea.

With the tea cup in her hands and after taking a few sips, Delora was able to answer her daughter, “Your father slept with Elpis, and she is pregnant with his child. He is going to be living at a hotel for now.”

“What’s going to happen between you and Daddy?” Annette questioned, blinking rapidly, so she did not start crying as well.

“I’m not sure, sweetheart.” Delora answered sadly and truthfully.

The next morning, Annette and her mother hugged Quinn goodbye. The Hit Wizard needed to return to his assignment as an undercover agent, he worked as a Charms Professor at Durmstrang Institute, to see if any of the Professors were bringing graduating students with a gift for the Dark Arts into the folds of the Scandinavian branch of the Dark Lord’s followers. It was a dangerous job, Lan sat on the bed that the pair had been sharing at the Leaky Cauldron, sobbing quietly while she held their son, Emil.

They followed Quinn downstairs to the fireplace that resided in the pub, a small gray pouch hung on around his waist. He would be using it to return to office and bedchamber that waited for him at Durmstrang.

Quinn readjusted his travel bag over his shoulder and hugged Annette and Delora one last time. He kissed Lan sweetly, promising her that he would be home as soon as he could. He kissed Emil on the top of his head, stepped into the fireplace and disappeared in a flash of bright green flame.

A ragged navy blue and white plaid teddy bear sat on the dresser, it would serve as the portkey to Mijiazhuang. Lan would go back to living with her Aunt Jingyi and Uncle Hai. It was much safer for her and Emil, plus her and Quinn’s son could learn about his heritage, culture, and still be taught two different languages. Lan did not want Quinn’s assignment to be compromised if he was too worried about his wife and child. Annette and Delora had already said goodbye to her, she was glad that she had given Emil a pair of light napping and anti-nausea potions. The portkey activated once Lan had a tight grip on it, she almost sighed in relief when she landed in her Aunt’s small backyard.

The last week before Annette’s graduation at Saint Francis's had been filled with girls’ nights at both Jenna and Pandora’s houses, and the rest mostly with Severus. She would have spent time with her mother, but her mother was busy working at Saint Mungo’s, and when her mother was not working, she was arguing with her father, there was shouting and crying from both of them. Annette was tired of hearing her parents argue. 

She had seen the divorce papers on the table, her mother’s signature had been smudged by tears, her father’s was sloppy as if he had been drinking before he had signed the document.

Annette had heard enough of her parents’ fighting to know that Elpis was keeping the child and her father would be paying child support. As for the other options, seeing the child every other weekend or having the child for a whole week, or seeking to claim full custody, none of that had been decided on. Annette was not sure if she was more angry at her father’s betrayal of his love for his wife or the fact that he was having a child with another woman. Did Elpis’ husband, Sevastion know? And what about the two children they had together? Would six year old Lucan and four year old Brunhilda understand?

The Hufflepuff dragged her head out of her worrying thoughts, and back to packing up her travel bags with her freshly washed and dried clothes. She and Severus would be heading back to Saint Francis' tonight, while her mother and father would be coming the day of the ceremony. Gilbert was already back at home, napping beside Delora, who had just finished her night shift.

Annette could not wait to get her Magizoologist license and return to Hogwarts for their final year.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am sorry for the delay, I hope you enjoy it. Please leave a comment or a kudos. The next chapter will be posted on Thursday, August 22nd.

Annette stood in front of her dorm room mirror, she readjusted the liseran purple sash that was tied through the loops of her knee-length teal skirt. She was glad that their ceremonial uniforms for Saint Francis’ were more colorful than the restrictive and somber ones they had worn through their entire internships. She glanced down at the teal puffy sleeved blouse double-checking that she done up all of the mermaid shaped buttons, she also did one last check to make sure that the boots that matched the sash were tied. Brigitte, Hinata, and Daria were already waiting in the front row of mahogany pews that were set up in front of the stage.

The Hufflepuff left the hallway that was beginning to fill with the family and friends of her peers, and she sat down between Hinata and Daria. The Hall of Saint Francis' had been transformed from the place where they took their meals, to one that was celebrating the graduation ceremony of a new batch of Magizoologists. Silver and crimson ribbons hung from the rafters, along with augureys, fwoopers, jobberknolls, and phoenixes. The birds happily chirping their joy. The stain glass windows were gleaming rainbows onto the floor. There were four windows on each side, the first window on the right had a set of beings: a house elf, a goblin, a giant, and vampire. The second right window had a niffler, a troll, a centaur, a mermaid, and all the subspecies of dragons. On the first left side were leaping toadstools, venomous tentacula, mandrakes, Chinese Chomping cabbages, and a pair of bowtruckle. On the second left window was a window picturing all the birds that were now roosted in the rafters, and a golden snitch.

Severus sat directly behind Annette wearing the hand-me-down robes that Lucius had given him when Severus was going to one of Professor Slughorn’s slug club parties during his fifth year. Beside him was his mother, who was holding Desdemona in her lap, Delora, and Baxter. The Celtic music that had been playing in the background from a record player stopped, and Headmistress Laetitia Amant D'animaux stood at the podium, she wore seaweed colored robes decorated with a variety of sea creatures. Pearls and shells were intertwined in her ember hair. As she began to give her speech, her French accent only made it sound more beautiful and meaningful:

“In our world, there are warmhearted people who care about both muggle and magical creatures alike, they give them the love, attention and respect that they deserve. Unfortunately, there are also people in our world that harm these beasts for sport, leaving orphans and decreased populations in their wake. They sell these beautiful on black markets as pets and trophies, they sell their parts for so-called medicine, that is merely a scam, these majestic beasts are torn from their families just for other humans, witches, and wizards amusement. If they are sold as pets, they are neglected to the point of starvation, they are physically abused.”   


The Headmistress of Saint Francis’ paused, she gracefully to a handkerchief out of the robe of her sleeve, and dabbed at her eyes before continuing, “As Magizoologists, it is our job to study these creatures in their natural habitats, so we can learn more about their natural lives. It is our job to rescue them when they are wounded, sold for profit, or orphaned. We care for them until they are well enough to return to the wilds that they make their homes. If they are unable to return to their natural habits due to a physical or mental injury, they are fostered out to witches and wizards, who know the hard work, dedication, and care it takes to make sure these creatures can live long and happy lives. It is joy and pleasure that I can grant these young Witches and Wizards with their official Magizoologist licenses!”

The Headmistress then undid a scroll that had been kept rolled up with a golden ribbon. Just as if they were back at Hogwarts and getting sorted into their Houses, they were called up one by one in alphabetical order.

Annette watched as her peers where called up, received their diplomas and badges, she could not tell if she was more excited or nervous, then she realized it was positively a mixture of both.

“ Negrescu, Annette.”

Her parents, dorm mates, and Severus cheered and applauded loudly, Headmistress  Laetitia Amant D'animaux shook Annette’s hand and gave her the diploma that she had worked so hard to earn. The diploma was held in a forest green album, the badge was in an amethyst colored case, the belt and wand seethe, she was given was made out of black leather that had a silver buckle in the shape of a Ukrainian Ironbelly. Annette returned to her seat between Hinata and Daria. They had to be polite and patient, waiting for the final student to be called up to the stage.

“Zabielski, Joseph.”

Once the towering seventeen year old wizard had received his degree, belt, and badge. The Negrescu and Snape family returned to the place that Annette would continue to call her home until the end of her final school year at Hogwarts.

The house was decorated with sky blue streamers that had mermaids that moved among them, and the kitchen smelled so delicious with food of all kinds, that Annette felt her mouth watering and her stomach growling in anticipation. She rushed upstairs to her room and changed out of her Saint Francis’ graduation clothing. She brushed a lint roller over the silver robes with teal and steel blue augureys decorating it, all  the fur that covered her garment, was because of Gilbert and his summer shedding. She returned to the living room to be greeted by her cousins, Willow, Acantha, and Mead. Her Aunt Edwina and Uncle Julian sat in the kitchen with her mother sipping butter beer with Severus’ mother and aunt. Annette left her cousins to finish their game of  _ Clue _ and stepped out into her garden to sit beside Severus on the porch swing.

She rested her head on his shoulder after she kissed him, and gently intertwined their fingers. Annette did her best to ignore the spells that hid his dark mark. Annette wanted to ask if Voldemort had contacted him further, but apart of her did not want to know, it was probably much safer if she did not know at all. In order to distract herself from frightening thoughts, she pulled out the album that held her diploma and the case that held her Magizoologist badge.

The diploma was written in silver ink on sky blue paper. The words were written in silver ink and looked as if they had been done by a highly regarded calligrapher. It was odd for her and slightly overwhelming, she was officially a licensed magizoologist now with her major being the Wellness of Beasts with an emphasis in the study of merpeople and fae kind. Her minor was listed as Dragonology. She slowly closed the album that protected the diploma from harm and opened the box that contained her badge. It was made out of pure silver with a mermaid, a dragon, a fairy, and a niffler embossed into it. She traced her finger over her own name and lingered on the date just a tad bit longer. August 1977.

Annette shut the case closed and rested her head against Severus’ chest once more, he placed a kiss to her copper locks, soon enough they were joined by Gilbert. They stayed out there until Delora called them inside for dinner and cake. The party was filled with laughter and chatter, Annette left the kitchen after she had scraped the remains of the butter cream frosting on to her fork and into her mouth. The cake had been in the shape of a niffler, dinner consisted of cheeseburger pie and taco salad.

Annette felt like she had been forcing herself to be happy the entire time of the festivities. Her face hurt from smiling so much. She had told her mother not to make a big deal out of her getting her Magizoologist license, but her mother did not listen, her pride for her daughter was almost suffocating. Annette knew that her mother was trying to make up for the fact that her father did not stay for the party. But he had left her a wrapped present on her bed and he had stayed at Saint Francis’ long enough to take pictures with her. That should have been enough, right?

Annette lay back on her bed, her hair still dripping wet and her body damp from the shower. She was wearing Severus’ AC/DC t-shirt and debating on whether or not to put on Jefferson Airplane. The tingling on her lips from the kiss that Severus had given her before he was engulfed by the flames of the floo powder still lingered, she wished she would have gone with him, but he had to work in the morning. If only they had a place to call their own, maybe they could get one after they graduated from Hogwarts?

Annette sat up and ran her damp towel through her long copper locks, she could have just used a quick dry spell, but this felt more calming and with the heat lingering in the summer air from outside her open window, it also kept her much cooler. Her olive green eyes lingered to the present wrapped in old  _ Daily Prophet  _ issues that rested on her school trunk at the end of her bed. It was from her father, but she had yet to open it, something, some sort of feeling kept her from seeing what was beyond the wrappings contents. Was it betrayal or anger?

Her father was having a child with another woman. With the witch and partner, who, Annette had once considered family. Now their family was shattered apart like a broken mirror, her father now lived in Manchester in a quaint three bedroom home. Annette was not sure how to feel about any of this, but she was relieved that all of the fighting between her parents was over. Her father did not have to pay any child support at least not to now ex-wife, with both Annette and Quinn considered to be adults, there was no reason too. Annette wondered what Elpis was going to do, surely her husband would not allow to live under the same roof while she gave birth and raised another man’s child? Then Annette began to wonder if she was going to be able to be a good elder sibling to her new brother or sister, she could not bring herself to blame an infant for the circumstances they were born into.

Annette grabbed Digby and squeezed the stuffed animal badger to her chest. The start of her seventh and final year at Hogwarts could not start quick enough.

Their list of needed school supplies came the third week of August. Severus glanced down at his book list, he would need all new books for potions, charms, transfiguration, study of ancient runes, herbology, and defense against the dark arts. Since they were preparing for their N.E.W.T level exams and that the workload was going to be grueling, he knew it was better to be prepared for anything. He glanced over at Annette from across the table they sat at in The Leaky Cauldron.   


They were waiting for Annette’s cousin Acantha to floo in, so they could head into the chaos of Diagon Alley. Acantha’s parents, Edwina and Julian, had to make a few stops at specialty stores for Meade.   


The eleven year old blind wizard had been accepted into Hogwarts, and the professors and the Headmaster were more than willing to make the accommodations that were needed, so Meade could succeed. Severus and his beloved badger had already compared their lists, Annette classes for the year were herbology, defense against the dark arts, transfiguration, care of magical creatures, and charms. Severus had the same classes, expect instead of care of magical creatures, he would be taking advanced potions. Acantha walked toward them, her mulberry robes with black unicorns decorating them covered in soot.

“Do I really have to take this many classes?” the second year Gryffindor asked, handing her cousin the school supply list she had in her hand.

Annette glanced at her cousin’s schedule. Transfiguration, Charms, Potions, History of Magic, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Astronomy and Herbology. “Yes.” Annette replied, “Next year, you’ll get to pick two classes of your choosing.”

Acantha let out an annoyed sigh and followed after Annette and Severus into Diagon Alley.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 9 will be posted on Thursday, August 29th. I hope you enjoy the chapter, please leave a comment! :)

The humidity that omitted from the last days of summer was almost as suffocating as the crowds. Annette made sure to keep an eye on her cousin, Acantha, as they made their way inside Flourish and Blotts. Annette found herself in the Herbology section while Acantha browsed for her Charms textbooks, the Hufflepuff accio’d the books she needed,  _ Murdering Topiary and How to Survive _ by Suzana Filipović and  _ How to Tend to the Most Deadly of Plants _ by Sunan Bunnag. She then found the books she needed for care of magical creatures, she was excited to be studying mermaids, dragons, and veela this year, even if she was already a licensed magizoologist. Annette already had her books for transfiguration, charms, and defense against the dark arts. Somehow she was able to track down her cousin, but was unable to find her Slytherin boyfriend anywhere in the store, which meant he had probably already bought his books, and was getting his new cauldron.

With their textbooks in hand and paid for, they left the bookstore only to bump into a wizard wearing a silver mask that had a raven with its wings spread out, its head and beak forming the bridge of the nose and toward the death eater’s top lip. Annette stumbled back just as the Death Eater grinned beneath his mask, the crowds had thinned out by now since it was nearing the afternoon, and Annette quickly shoved her cousin behind, struggling to hide her own fear as she withdrew her own wand. She was able to block a powerful hex that probably would have left her seriously wounded, she was not fast enough to stop the other Death Eater that had come up behind them with a silent spell cast upon herself. The only reason Annette knew that the second crony was a girl was because she giggled madly, her silver mask had an emerald tree boa embossed on it, the python had its jaw unhinged, its fangs gleaming, the python head looked as if it had slid down the bridge of the wearer’s nose, with its open mouth and deadly teeth, the eyes were made from emeralds. When the woman death eater yanked Acantha close to her and pointed her own wand at Acantha’s throat, the twelve year old witch sobbed in fear.

Annette did her best to calm her racing heart, and felt her magic beginning to tingle throughout her body, she was not going to let one of Voldemort’s followers slaughter her and her cousin. The Hufflepuff channeled the full body-bind curse down from her upper body into her foot and the fabric of her trainer. She crouched down fast enough to dodge the blast of fire that erupted from the female death eater’s wand, and swept her left leg connecting with the back of the raven shaped mask follower’s foot. He fell onto the cobblestone street below them, rigged as if he was now a statue.

The Hufflepuff nearly let a smug smile of satisfaction grace her frightened face, but was brought back into focus by the sound of Acantha’s agonizing scream, that split through the air and echoed. The death eater who still held her cousin captive sneered. Acantha howled once more as she hit by the crucio curse for a second time.

Annette raised her wand to cast  _ levicorpus  _ to free her cousin from the glee cackling girl death eater, but she found herself to be to slow as she was hit with the combination of the impediment jinx,  _ sie venti _ , and  _ multa secat _ . She tried desperately to cast a shield spell in order to save herself from the pain, but was too late. 

A shudder of fear slithered down her spine and the dread of Death’s grip, made her heart squeezed painfully. She could see the words forming on the Death Eater witch’s lips, the ultimate unforgivable curse, she did not wish to die, not now, and not by the hands of a witch who dared to succumb to the siren call of the dark arts.

She felt the magic within her slip down into her clenched fist so quickly it felt like a rush of adrenaline. Annette formed and threw the spell with all her might at the witch who dared to threaten her and cousin’s lives. A silver wisp of magic in the form of a fist came to life and socked the recipient right in the stomach. The Death Eater woman had cast a shield charm to protect herself, but Annette could see her struggling to remain her composure, even with the shield spell taking away some of the force, but Annette knew that the dark witch’s ribs and stomach were sure to leave painful bruising, if not a couple of broken bones.

Annette did even have time to cry out in anguish as she slammed into the brick wall outside of Madam Primpernelle's Beautifying Potions. The air was knocked out of her lungs, and the multiple cuts spell sliced through her fern green robes and into her skin, it felt as if daggers were stabbing into her, as slices that could have come from a butcher’s dulled but still deadly blade covered her skin, and soaked her clothing with blood.

Annette struggled to drag herself onto her elbows, her wand still clutched her hand so tightly that her knuckles were white, but she did not get the chance to counter the attack of the female death eater, as the familiar cry of, “ _ Sectumsempra _ !” echoed through the cotton thick summer air.

Suddenly the female death eater’s attire was sliced to nearly rags, and blood pooled from her back. She let out a scream of both rage and torment. The Death Eater nearly fainted where she stood and Acantha dropped to her hand and knees onto the cobblestone street, shaking, sobbing, and whimpering, as she was released from her attacker’s hold.

The young witch in the emerald tree boa mask turned to glare at Severus, but before she was able to retaliate, she and the body-bound jinxed death eater disappeared in a rather large tornado crafted out of thin air and as gray as smoke that was shaped like a serpent.

Severus ran to Annette and knelt over her to heal her wounds the best he could with the aid of  _ episkey, _ but the wounds barely closed. He cradled Annette’s head in his lap, and pressed a gentle kiss onto her forehead.

“Nettie?” he whispered as Annette’s eyes opened and closed with far too much effort, her olive green eyes cloudy with pain.

She spoke so softly, that Severus could barely hear her. “I hurt so much, Severus....”

“I know...I know...it is far too dangerous for me to apparate with you in such a...state.”

“Acantha?” Annette asked, she was barely consciousness now.

“She’ll be okay.” Severus turned to glance at the soon-to-be second year Gryffindor. Acantha was now doing her best to gather up their fallen school supplies.

A woman with curly red hair and bright brown eyes ran up to the Slytherin and his severely wounded Hufflepuff. She looked to be in her late thirties, her two sons with the same red hair, who seemed to be seven and five in age were aiding Acantha in gathering up the books.

“I’m Molly Weasley, we need to get...” the mother of three paused for a moment, and glanced at Severus.

“Annette.” Severus answered her silent inquiry.

“Annette, we need to get her to Saint Mungo’s.”

A pair of red headed men pushed their way through the crowd that had gathered, they were tall and lanky. One of them carried a one-year-old boy on his hip. The one without the child approached Severus and Annette. He quickly took out his wand and waved it over Annette’s now shivering body, her blood beginning to soak what remained of her robes and the cobblestones beneath. In moments bandages were wrapped around the wounds, and she was also cocooned in a warm blanket.

Severus turned to look at the red haired man, his tall form was covered in midnight blue robes with golden and silver porcupines made from thread decorating the fabric. His hair was a curly and unruly mess, his forest green eyes were filled with worry for Annette, and his face was splattered with freckles across his cheeks and the bridge of his nose, the moustache on his face looked to be well groomed.

He placed a reassuring hand on Severus’ shoulder. “My name is Gideon. My brother, Fabian, and I will help you get this young lady to Saint Mungo’s.”

“Thank you.” Severus said, trying to keep the worry out of his voice and tears from blurring his vision.

“You two need to be very careful now. This sweet and brave girl probably won’t survive a splinching.” Molly whispered, but she was still close enough to Severus for him to hear.

“We will, Molly. Don’t you fret.” the other man that looked identical to Gideon, save for a well groomed beard that covered the lower portion of his face, said as he handed over the one-year-old redhead back to the loving arms of his mother.

Acantha stood behind the Slytherin soon-to-be seventh year not saying a word, the satchel with all of their books over her shoulder, she was holding onto Gideon’s hand tightly. Worry and guilt creased her face, and tears slipped down her cheeks from her ocean blue eyes, as she stared at her cousin. Severus lifted Annette into his arms and held her close. The Hufflepuff had lost consciousness from the pain, which made Severus just a little bit relieved. Fabian had one hand on Gideon’s shoulder, just to be safe, Gideon now held Acantha in his arms, after getting permission from the second year Gryffindor to do so.

The world before them spun and churned, and Severus had barely regained his footing, when he opened his onyx eyes to see that they were in front of the abandoned storefront that served as the disguise to advert suspicious muggle eyes. The mannequin stared at them with vacant eyes. Severus cleared his throat, from the tears that dared to steal his voice. “Emergency services needed.”

The dummy nodded and baid them inside using its creaking arm.   


Severus quickly stepped through the large glass storefront window and into the hallway outside of the entryway to the emergency room. The symbol of Saint Mungo’s, a bone crossed with a wand, had been expertly hand painted on the glass of the doors.

Gideon waved his wand and cast  _ aperire _ , the double doors opened. Severus readjusted his hold on Annette, he did his best to ignore the blood that was beginning to soak through the blanket that Annette was wrapped in. Fabian was now holding Acantha, the twelve year old whimpering and shaking, she softly whispered repeatedly. “My head won’t stop hurting.”

There were four other soon-to-be patients occupying chairs in the waiting room.

One was a fourteen year old boy, who had an infected and enchanted tattoo on his arm, that was dancing up and down his arm, causing him to wince in agony as the thunderbird made out of ink continued to move. A wizard sat beside the boy, giving the younger a withering and highly disappointed glare. Another seat was taken by an elderly witch, who was struggling to cover her hands with the long sleeves of her violet robes. They had been transfigured into tree roots that were currently dripping dirt everytime the old woman wrung or even moved what used to be her hands. A female house elf sat beside her, nervously wringing the clean violet towel that she wore like a dress.

Severus stepped up to the front desk, and glanced up at a cork board behind him, the scroll that was held to it by magic, it constantly changed room numbers to surgeries and tests that needed to be done, or where currently being performed. Before he could even speak to get the attention of the receptionist who was preoccupied in the backroom, a pair of Healers ran up. One of them was Annette’s mother, Delora. Her copper hair had fallen free of the braids they had once been in and were now curling waves that surrounded her face, her silver-blue eyes were wide with the fear and panic only a mother could feel.

Delora looked up at the Slytherin that was her daughter’s beloved, “What happened?” Hearing the whimpers coming from Acantha, who had now buried her face into Gideon’s shoulder, Delora gently took her niece from the wizard.

“Thank you.” Delora said to the redheaded twins as Acantha now wrapped around her aunt like a koala.

“Of course.” Fabian replied and turned to leave with his brother. But he knew with certainty that because of Molly’s love for all children, whether they were her own or not, that they would be returning to check on Acantha and Annette.

With Acantha in her arms, Delora returned her attention to her daughter and Severus Snape. Her silver-blue eyes widen with fear uncertainty as she saw how badly the blood had soaked through the blanket.

“What happened?” she repeated in a fearful whisper.

“Death Eaters...” Severus answered, and watched as Delora swiftly cast the spell that would bring forth her patronus. A tangible bloodhound formed out of the silver-white mist. Delora gave it a long list of demands that needed to be followed, and the bloodhound patronus bounded off down the hallway.

Delora turned to face the second healer that was currently taking Acantha out of her arms. The second healer’s soft Nigerian accent was gentle and understanding as she spoke, her dark brown hair a mass of beautiful curls knotted back into a low bun. “You need to go tell your....tell Baxter what has happened, and tell your sister. You know better than anyone that we are not allowed to heal our own family members.”

“You’re right, Nuru.” Delora pressed a kiss to Severus’ cheek in thanks and then kissed her daughter’s forehead before she apparated out with the sound of bubble wrap being popped in her wake.

Two more healers apparated to the waiting room with a pair of gurneys and two nurses ready to aid them. The first to approach Nuru was a short and stocky witch with the name Healer R. Lager sown into the front of her lime green robes. Her rust colored hair tied back into a high ponytail, and her lake blue eyes were wide with shock.

“Poor dear...” she whispered and levitated a shivering and sobbing Acantha onto one of the gurneys and with one of the nurses took the elevator following them up to the fourth floor.

The second healer was a tall and built wizard with the words Healer P. Deering in black thread on the fabric of his own lime green robes, where his heart was. His ash blonde was tied in a low ponytail, and his green hazel were gleaming with worry, but his face was a stone cold mask. Healer Deering tried to take Annette from Severus, but the Slytherin placed Annette onto the gurnie himself and gently brushed her long copper fringe from out of her eyes. The Hufflepuff slowly opened her olive green eyes and weakly squeezed Severus’ hand with her own.

“I love you, Severus.”

Severus smiled just a little. “I love you too, Annette.” He pressed a kiss to her lips and watched as Healer Deering and Healer Nuru Opeyemi rushed to the elevator, Severus waited until the elevator doors were shut tightly and he waited until the numbers above had reached the four, before he pushed the up button. He stepped into the elevator, doing his best to ignore the droplets of blood on the floor that were still fresh and were probably left behind by his beloved badger. He pushed the five button and the elevator chugged to life once more. A burning sensation suddenly flooded down his arm, followed by what felt like a thousand hornet stings. He could feel the Dark Mark slowly destroying the spells he had cast upon it to hide it. Severus did his best not stumble out of the elevator as he made it to the fifth floor. He bit his lower lip to stop himself from crying out in agony. He made his way to the loo, and once he had locked the stall door, he pulled up the sleeve of his robe, just as the magic spells he had cast upon the Dark Mark to hide it, shattered.

Severus looked down at the Dark Mark, it was still burning and stinging but not as intensely. 

The Dark Mark ink’s was as black as the day he had first gotten it, and he could feel a strong pull, begging him to go to Lord Voldemort, so the pain would end. Severus pulled down the sleeve of his robes and apparated out of the stall, just as the fourteen year old boy with the infected enchanted tattoo entered.

The Half-Blood Prince felt the bubble that hid the home of Lord Voldemort from prying eyes, surround him. He now stood outside the wrought iron gate, doing his best to be patient and but the stinging and burning from the Dark Mark had not yet ceased. The caramel Burmese python snake, that was made of iron and rusted over, lazily uncoiled itself enough from its service as the gate’s lock just enough so its eyes made from labradorite gemstones met Severus’ onyx black.

“In order to enter, you must answer this riddle.” the enchanted lock said, extending the sound of the s’s by four.

“Lord Voldemort has summoned me.” Severus said, rolling up his sleeve once more to show the Dark Mark on his inner left forearm.

“You still must answer a riddle, it a precautionary measure formed by the Dark Lord, himself.” the enchanted lock replied.

Severus bit back a sigh of annoyance. “Fine, let’s just get this over with.”

The snake that was made out of rusted iron spoke the riddle, that Severus had to answer in order to answer Lord Voldemort’s summons.

“What kind of snakes are good at sums?”

Severus raised an eyebrow, somewhat stunned that the riddle was so ridiculously easy. “Adders.”

“By the look of confusion and disappointment on your face, I can tell that you don’t like the simplicity of these riddle.” The enchanted snake let out a sigh that released some scraps of rust from around its fangs. “There are only so many riddles that are about snakes, you know.”

The gate yawned open and Severus apparated up to the front double doors of the manor and entered. He walked past the parlor, and the dining room. He could hear House Elves within the kitchen, smells from the dishes they were preparing wafted into the halls. The clanging of cutlery nearly sounded like music. The stinging and burning stopped once he knocked on a pair of double doors that were outside of a long hallway decorated with portraits. Severus was surprised when Lucius opened the door and baid him entry. 

Severus stepped within the bedchamber, the lamps were burning brightly that were mounted on the walls. Lord Voldemort sat in a chair beside the large king-sized bed. The bed had forest green covers and silver linings, Severus could not see who lay in the bed because most of whoever it was, was covered by the large and forest green drapes, save for a slender pale arm that was hooked up to an IV, and was currently receiving a painkiller potion, and a blood replenishing potion.

Voldemort stood up from his chair, his silver robes were decorated with black serpents that had eyes made from rubies, the fabric swished as he moved. His dark eyes were lit with anger, and his normally neatly combed black hair with a couple of silver streaks, was mussed as if he had run his slender fingers through the locks repeatedly.   


Severus glanced at the nightstand where a cracked silver mask that an emerald tree boa embossed on it, the python had its jaw unhinged, its fangs gleaming, the python head looked as if it had slid down the bridge of the nose, with its mouth agape and deadly fangs gleaming, the eyes were made from emeralds. The embossed emerald tree boa had been nearly severed cleanly in two.

Lord Voldemort’s long fingers dug into Severus’ chin as he was forced to look up at the Master of Dark Magic. The way that Voldemort spoke to him, with the threat of death in his words caused a shiver to slide down Severus’ spine. “Why would you wound Bellatrix in such a horrifying manner?! What spell did you use?!”


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 10 will be posted on Thursday, September 12th. Leave a comment, please! I hope you enjoy the chapter! :)

Severus stood over Bellatrix, his wand in hand. Her mass of ebony curls was soaked with sweat from the agony that the wounds he had given her. Her dark brown eyes were lit with revenge and an animalistic furiousness to kill him. She was biting her bottom lip, so she would not cry out or perhaps it was not to chew him out in front of Lord Voldemort? Perhaps she was too focused on not seeming weak in front of the man, who commanded the Death Eaters.

The soon-to-be seventh year Slytherin drew his focus to the slashes that needed to be mended, not the fact that Bellatrix Black was now lying nude, not that the bed sheets and bandages were soaked through with blood. He chanted the counter to his own spell in a sing-song voice within in his own head. He watched out of the corner of his own black eyes, knowing full well that Voldemort sat in the high back chair, his chin propped up by his own fist. He watched his newest Death Eater with a murderous gleam in his dark brown eyes. Severus steeled himself against the fear that dared to try to bubble forward. Severus knew for certain, that if he failed in healing Bellatrix, the last thing he was going to see was a flash of bright green light, and the sound he would hear would be Bellatrix laughing with glee at his demise, and Voldemort saying, “You shall meet your demise.”

Once Severus had finished with the spell and the wounds were healed, he stepped back and stood beside Lucius, the blonde haired pureblood leaning up against the faded and peeling forest green wallpaper. The sound of bubble wrap popping and a puff of white smoke revealed a House Elf, who had large bat-like ears, and a nose that looked almost like an elephant’s trunk. She wore a faded and worn piece of fabric that looked as if it belonged to a curtain. Her silver eyes were wide as she handed Voldemort a large bottle of dittany with shaking hands. 

Voldemort stood from his chair and turned to face Severus and Lucius. “You two may go, wait for me in the parlor.”

“Yes, My Lord.” Lucius and Severus said and bowed deeply before heading out into the hallway.

Severus glanced over his shoulder just in time to see the Dark Lord pulling the curtain around the king-sized bed, so he could no longer be seen sitting beside Bellatrix, the bottle of dittany uncorked. 

Lucius lounged on the grey sofa, sipping on fire whiskey from a crystal tumbler. He finished the alcoholic beverage before he spoke to the half-blood prince. “How could you be so foolish as to attack fellow Death Eaters?”

Severus glanced up from his cup of tea, the sugar from the spoon dissolving. “They attacked in broad daylight! They were trying to slaughter Annette and her cousin!” Severus bit out angrily. “Was I supposed to act as idiotic as them and expose myself as well?”

“No, I believe that Bellatrix was too eager to please me, she will do anything to show that she is truly meant to be my second in command. And the wizard who accompanied her on the foolish endeavor has not even graduated from Durmstrang. He is such an insolent child, that he stole his brother’s mask.” Voldemort said, he had a wet dishtowel in his hands, wiping them clean of the scar reducing paste.

Severus gripped the handle of the teacup so tightly, he could feel it beginning to crack.   
He slowly released it and folded his hands, setting them on his lap. 

His black eyes met the wizard he now called Lord and Master, and just as he was about to speak, Bellatrix lumbered into the room, leaning heavily on the metal pole that the IV bags hung from. Her blood-stained bandages had been replaced, and she now wore a pale cream-colored nightgown.

Bellatrix slumped heavily into one of the high back chairs, she scraped her dark black curls out of her face. “You attacked me! You asinine little worm!” She bit out in a hiss, the words sounding like they were laced with venom, but slurred because of the painkiller potion.

Severus merely sneered at her and calmly took a drink of his tea. “I’m glad to see that you’re not letting your education get in the way of your ignorance.” 

Lucius nearly choked on his second glass of fire whiskey. A grin of satisfaction and pride spreading across the heir of the Malfoy family’s face. He looked as if he wanted to high five the half-blood that was practically his brother, but held back at the urge, barely, because now Bellatrix was digging her deadly pointed nails into the fabric of the chair. Murderous rage gleamed in her eyes, and if she had the strength, Bellatrix probably would have leaped across the room and choked the life from Severus.

Voldemort remained calm, now leaning back, fully in the chair, a House Elf scurried up to him and brought the dark wizard a glass of fire whiskey. He looked over at Bellatrix. “Explain the reasons for your own asinine behavior, Bellatrix.”

Bellatrix glanced up at him, “Yes, My Lord.” she poured herself a glass of water from where the pitcher rested on the table beside her, and drank all of it before she began explaining. “Carrow and I knew that the Drummond family were no longer a part of the Sacred Bloodlines, so we tracked down one of their children, who had been accepted to Hogwarts.”

“Who gave you this information, Bellatrix?” The Dark Lord inquired, his curiosity piqued.

“Black, My Lord. He is very eager to join our cause,” she replied. “We thought that if we took the blood traitor’s children out, it would help to spare the pure bloodlines any further embarrassment.”

“So you attacked in the middle of the day, at Diagon Alley when it was busiest?”

“I thought the crowds would prove to be the best cover, My Lord. I did not know that the blood traitor had family that would not fear us. Nor did I think that one of our own would attack us either!” Bellatrix said, glaring daggers at Severus as she took a long sip from her refilled water glass.

“I will decide on your punishment later, Bellatrix.”

Bellatrix glowered, the blood drained from her face, her angered response nearly fell on deaf ears. “My Lord, what of Snape? He attacked his own!”

Voldemort turned from where he now stood, nearly to the parlor doors. He now stood in front of Bellatrix in an instant, almost with vampiric like speed. “He did not allow overconfidence to cloud his judgment!” Voldemort’s wand was now at Bellatrix’s throat, sparking dangerously from an unspoken spell. With the wand still pressed against the skin of Bellatrix’s neck, he glanced over at Lucius and Severus. “You may go.”

Severus and Lucius bowed low to the Dark Lord before they apparated out to separate destinations.  
Lucius Malfoy apparated into the family room of the home, he had grown up in. This house would one day be his own, he adjusted the wrapped gift in his arms, and found his fiancee out in the backyard, trying to calm her nerves by feeding the peacocks grapes.

She turned to face Lucius and leapt to her feet, the gift landed softly on the grass between them as Lucius embraced Narcissa. She sobbed into the fabric of his robes, before she lifted her face away to look up at him.

Lucius gently wiped her remaining tears and pressed a kiss to her forward. 

“Bellatrix...is she...?” Narcissa could not force herself to finish her inquiry, too frightened, but still eager to know.

“Your sister is fine. You have no need to worry, my love.”

Narcissa sighed in relief and kissed the pureblood wizard, she would in spring.

After Severus stopped at Annette’s home to pick up one of her most well-loved items, he followed after the nurse as they made their way down the hall, the photographs on the walls waved and smiled. Severus glanced up at the room number, Annette had to be admitted, and so did Acantha. He just hoped that they were both going to be alright.

With the nurse’s approval, Severus did his best to open the door quality as he entered. Soft, pale blue curtains gently danced in the late summer breezes that wafted from the open window. The walls were an eggshell white with pictures of fluttering butterflies and bumblebees hopping from one flower to the next aligning it to make the room a bit more cheerful.

The half-blood prince sat the lounge chair that was provided. He took Annette’s right hand in his own, and gently kissed her fingers. Her left hand had an IV that was busily pumping a blood replenishing potion and a painkiller potion through her veins. 

Severus bent over Annette to brush the hair that clung to her forehead, only for Annette to open her eyes and smile softly at him. Her movement to kiss him on the cheek was sluggish, as she struggled to sit upright. 

“I am so sorry, Annette.” Severus whispered.

“It isn’t your fault,” the Hufflepuff replied, “You didn’t know that the Death Eaters were going to attack.”

“I should have stayed with you, instead of going to get potions ingredients.”

Annette gently cupped Severus’ face in her hands. “You know I can protect myself, but I got over confident. My spell casting wasn’t fast enough.”

Severus leaned forward so that their foreheads were touching. “You were outnumbered, I should have been there.”

Annette kissed him on the mouth, “I love you so much, Severus.”

“I love you too, Annette.” He pressed a kiss to her lips. 

“If we have more practice duels, will you worry about me less?” Annette questioned, the heavy-duty painkiller potion made her words slurred, and her heady felt thick as if it had been stuffed with cotton, and her thoughts fuzzy.

“No.” Severus replied, a small smile graced his lips, before it faded, his features once again serious and his dark eyes glistened with guilt, relief, and also the revenge he knew he would never get to have. “Seeing you so close to Death’s door, it broke my heart.”

“We’ll protect each other then. We’ll have each other’s backs. No matter what.” Annette said, her words made Severus smile once more.

“Always, Nettie.” Severus promised and decided to gently lay down beside her, he made sure to be careful of her still healing wounds.

She lifted her hand and flicked it, as if she was turning the knob that was on the radio, that sat at a on a table against the wall. The radio began playing ‘Somebody to Love’ by the band, Queen.

‘Can anybody find me somebody to love  
Ooh, each morning I get up I die a little  
Can barely stand on my feet  
(Take a look at yourself) Take a look in the mirror and cry (and cry)  
Lord, what you're doing to me (yeah yeah)  
I have spent all my years in believing you  
But I just can't get no relief, Lord!  
Somebody (somebody) ooh somebody (somebody)  
Can anybody find me somebody to love?’…

Annette rested her head against Severus’ chest, her olive green, mixed with golden-brown eyes, gently closed, a sigh of happiness escaped her tired body. Once she was asleep, Severus carefully and slowly removed himself from the bed and dug out the item that would keep her company, while he went to work his last shift at Slug and Jiggers’ Apothecary for the summer. He tucked the worn and soft stuffed animal badger into Annette’s arms. Even in sleep, she cradled and cuddled Digby to her chest, her chin now resting on the top of its head. 

Severus placed one final kiss on Annette’s cheek before he disapparated.

It was during his self-proclaimed lunch break, that Baxter walked briskly down the hallway of Saint Mungo’s, he knew that his ex-wife was busy in surgery, and this would be his only time to visit his daughter without Delora icly glaring at him. He was still on call, his grizzly bear patronus lumbering beside him. 

The silver and white manifestation was connected to all of the magical law enforcement officers’ patronuses. 

He entered the room where his daughter was supposed to be resting, to find her sitting upright, a book held in her hands. The back cover proclaimed that the author was Agatha Christy. Annette slipped a bookmark to keep her place. The front cover was blood red with a bottle of pills, open and spilling out. The title was Sleeping Murder. Baxter sat in the chair across from her bed, and gently took his daughter’s hand in his own.

“I’m so relieved that you’re okay, Nettie.” He said, and his daughter looked up at him. 

“You taught me how to take down my enemies, Daddy. Of course, I’m okay.” Annette smiled. 

She cleared her throat before she asked, “What’s going to happen with Lucan and Brunhilda?”

“They’re living with their father, Elpis gets them every other week.”

“Are they divorced too?” Annette questioned, now she could not bear to look at her father.

“No, not yet.” Baxter replied. “I love you and Quinn, that won’t ever change, Nettie.”

“I know, but you and Mum...did all those years not matter to you…?” 

“They did, they still do. But your mother and I...”

“I don’t understand why, hopefully I will never understand how you could...betray her.” Annette said, glad to get all of these bitter words off of her chest and out of her mind.

Baxter was about to do his best to explain his awful actions, when his patronus pawed at him. He looked down at it, and Elpis’ voice emerged from its mouth. “We have another homicide… the Mark is gleaming over the house like a fucking beacon.”

Baxter gently embraced his daughter. “I’ll be back later, Annette.” 

“Could we listen to the Quidditch match together?” Annette questioned, even though she was angry with him, she still wanted to spend time with her father. 

“Of course.” Her father smiled briefly and then apparated out with the sound of popped bubble wrap sounding in his wake. 

Baxter practically stumbled into The Leaky Cauldron. 

No matter how many times he saw it, the gruesome scenes would always haunt him. The pair of muggles that lived in the home, had been tortured before they were killed with the most unforgivable of curses. 

The husband had been trying to reach the landline phone to call the police, blood pooled from wounds inflicted by magic, he lay on the orange and red mixed tiles of the kitchen floor, his right arm outstretched, his fingers tangled in the loops of the cord. The phone lay on the floor beside the man’s face, an empty loud tone emitting from it. His mouth was pinched tightly closed, his eyes were squeezed shut, bracing himself against the coming pain. But now, now he was gone. His body had not even grown cold.

The wife was on the living room carpet curled into herself. Their were wet tear tracks that slipped from her tightly closed eyes down to her jaw. Her mouth was frozen in out cry of agony, her arms wrapped around her head. Even though there was not a sign of life within her body anymore, her skin was still warm, but beginning to cool. The Death Eaters had taken out these Muggle parents, but where were their children? It was obvious that they had at least two, there were framed hand drawn pictures on the wall, and children’s clothes within the laundry basket, freshly folded. 

On the kitchen table was a charred letter, had the mother tried to burn to protect her children from the fate that the Death Eater’s deemed necessary? The handwriting was a child’s, her name written at the bottom with plenty of Xs and Os, was the name, Bituin. The daughter explained in her letter that she was enjoying living in the States with her older sister, Dalisay, along with her sister’s husband,   
Ezra. 

It was the final paragraph before Bituin signed it that made Baxter both hungering for justice, and with sorrow for the children. 

I can’t wait to start at Ilvermorny! I will send you a letter the second I know what House I have been sorted into! Please stay safe Mum and Daddy. I love you and miss you so much!

Baxter sat down at the bar and consumed a bottle of fire whiskey. He wondered if the Death Eater’s would track down Dalisay and Bituin from where they were supposed to be safe with the Yanks, and finish the job they had started? Baxter did not want there to be anymore orphaned due to Voldemort and his followers, and yet, he knew deep down that would be plenty more. Baxter chugged down bottle after bottle of Fire Whiskey, until his vision doubled and the bartender cut him off. 

He somehow managed to get out of the Leaky Cauldron and to the back alley that hid the pathway to Diagon Alley. His legs made him feel as if he was newborn deer just learning to walk, his vision was swimming and he felt heavy and far too happy with how his job had been lately. Baxter stumbled as he turned around and braced himself the brick wall, all he wanted to do now was to go to his flat and pass out, he knew the punishment he would have to endure would be a nasty hangover. Of course, he was too drunk to pay attention to the familiar pop of someone apparating behind him. The flash of green light came before he could even reach for his wand, he was dead before his body fell through to Diagon Alley, as the bricks fell away, thanks to his murderer. 

The last thing Baxter saw before his death was an elaborate mask shaped like the face of a male peacock that hid the Death Eater’s face. The screams of dismay and horror fell to dead ears.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 11 will be posted two weeks from now, on Friday, September 27th. I hope you enjoy this chapter. :)

Elpis Cartwright gently wrapped her canary yellow paint covered hands around the tea cup, she had been painting the nursery. And now, she needed a break to figure out what creatures and flower, she was going to decorate the walls with. It was her third cup of rosehip tea, she sipped it gingerly and set it aside. Elpis could feel the bags under eyes from lack of sleep due to the morning sickness that plagued her. Her dark ashy blonde had been hastily put into a messy bun. She gently rested her hand against her baby bump, she had not heard from Baxter since he left the Ministry to go to the Leaky Cauldron. Elpis could not help but fear that the worst had happened, she knew the risks of their line of work.   


But her fellows in Magical Law Enforcement would not alert her of what had become of Baxter. Just because the divorce papers had been signed, did not mean that the marriage between Baxter and Delora was officially over by law, even though it was emotionally. Their divorce would not be final until September third.   


Elpis took another sip of her tea and let her eyes fall on the case files, she had yet to close. The one that was working on now was the death of a Pureblood mother and father. A Mister Liam Teagan and his wife, Siofra. Their adopted half-blood eleven year old, Maura, was in critical condition at Saint Mungo’s. She was once again an orphan because of Voldemort and his Death Eaters.

 Elpis closed the case, feeling nauseated. Morning sickness, it had been like this before she had Brunhilda, and with Lucan, he gave her weird cravings like eating hot sauce on a spoonful of peanut butter or broccoli with salad cream. She looked at her planner, Elpis had a Healer appointment that would tell her the gender of her unborn child, Baxter was so excited to go. Elpis had a few names chosen already in her baby names book. Dion or Thales for a boy. Myrrine or Urania for a girl. A knock at the front door drew her away from her thoughts. Elpis stood and smoothed out the wrinkles on her butter yellow robes that was decorated with tulips.   


Elpis opened the door to find Delora standing on the porch. The older witch’s blue eyes were puffy and red from sobbing. Her long copper hair was plaited into a triple fishtail braid. Her thistle purple robes had pearls on the trim of the collar and the cuffs of the sleeves.   


“May I come in? I have something to tell you, Elpis.”

Elpis nodded and stepped aside so Delora could enter. She could tell by the other woman’s pale face and distraught eyes that this was going to be very unpleasant news. The pregnant witch pulled out her wand from the white leather holster around her waist and cast spells to replace the rosehip tea with peppermint, start the wood burning stove, and to retrieve the shortbread biscuits from the cabinet. A wisp of white smoke came into view in the hallway by the backdoor, a house elf appeared, her arms loaded with paper grocery bags. The house elf named, Pili, wore a light blue towel that had  _ The Flintstones  _ cartoon on it. The necklace around her neck was made from a piece of twine that held Gumby through it like a charm. Her trilby hat was made from one half of a towel with the cartoon  _ Jabberjaw _ , the other half was a used towel with a design from  _ The Jetsons _ cartoon.   


Pili set the groceries down on the counter and scowled at Elpis, after looking over at the other witch who sat on the sofa dabbing at her eyes with a handkerchief. “You didn’t tell me you were expecting company, Missus.” Pili’s voice sounded as if it were made from windchimes, differing in pitch.

“I did not know Delora was coming to visit.” Elpis explained and sat down beside Baxter’s soon-to-be ex-wife.   


Delora wiped her eyes with the handkerchief once more and took a calming breath, “Baxter was found dead in Diagon Alley this morning. The last spell used on him was the Killing Curse. It had to be a Death Eater.”   


Elpis felt tears beginning to overwhelm and sting her eyes, she broke down into wailing sobs. It was a complete surprise when Delora embraced her and allowed Elpis to sob into her shoulder.   


Once the tears had stopped flowing, Elpis lifted her head away from Delora’s shoulder. “Why are you being so kind to me? I stole your husband and I am pregnant with his child.”

“Yes, but we have both lost someone we care for deeply.” Delora stood and looked at Pili, the house elf nodded in understanding. “I need to start making funeral arrangements.”

“Do Annette and Quinn know?” Elpis asked as Pili brought the tea and biscuits into the master bedroom.

“No, not yet. Annette is still in the hospital, I will tell her after my shift is over. I am sending Quinn an owl tonight. You are welcome to attend the funeral.” Delora apparated out of the two bedroom flat.

“Missus, you need to lie down.” Pili said and took Elpis’ hand leading her to the master bedroom.

Once Elpis was settled in the bed, Pili poured her a cup of tea and surrounded it with shortbread biscuits on the saucer. The house elf left the door ajar and busied herself with putting away the groceries and washing the dishes, all the while hearing her missus wail and sob from grief.   


Annette sat in her hospital bed while Jenna sat in the recliner beside her bed, a sketch book on her lap. the side of her hand was deeply covered with pencil lead. On the page was a work-in-progress of a fire crab. Pandora sat in the other chair on the other side of Annette’s bed crafting the Hufflepuff a leather bracelet that would bring her positive energy. The silver charms were a tortoise, a toadstool, and a variety of different colored koi fish, and flock of different birds. The birds were a robin, a hummingbird, a peacock, a crane, and a swallow. In between the charms were crystals. Tourmaline, onyx, smoky quartz, and hematite.

Annette set aside the book she was reading,  _ The Crystal Cave  _ by the author, Mary Stewart, after she placed her bookmark in between the beginning of chapter seven.

“How did it go with Gandalf meeting your parents?” Annette asked her fellow Hufflepuff.

Jenna stopped sketching and brought her gaze to meet Annette’s. “It went well enough, I think…”

Annette quirked an eyebrow, “You think?”

“Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. Da asked him what his intentions were.”    


Pandora giggled and stopped crafting the bracelet. “He asked if you and Gandalf were rubbing your fun bits?” There was tear-bringing laughter from both Annette and Pandora, causing Jenna to blush out of feeling awkward and slight humiliation.

“Yes, which we aren’t.” Jenna replied. “When did you and Xenophilius start doing the mystery dance?”

“The start of fifth year with all of the precautions, of course.” Pandora answered.   


“Are you really going to wait until you and Gandalf are married?” Annette questioned, “What if he’s bad at greasing the loaf pan?”   


 Jenna began sketching again, only to pause and answer, “We decided we were going to test the waters before the start of seventh year.”

“Do you have everything? Do you have the rubbers and the birth control potion?” Annette inquired.

“Yes, I do. Mamaí took me to get them. And then she had the conversation with my father, while I went out to get textbooks and other supplies.”

“Ta to both of you for using your day off to hangout with me.” Annette said before she popped a Bertie Bott’s Every Flavor Bean into her mouth, her face screwed up in disdain. “Baked bean.”

Jenna took a couple from the container, “It wasn’t a problem. I missed you and I needed a break from getting poked by pins and needles, trying to make adjustments to robes at Twilfitt and Tatting's.” The Irish witch made a face that could only mean she had gotten a very unpleasant flavor. “Envelope glue.”

Both of the Hufflepuffs looked at their Ravenclaw best friend, who had a small pile in her lap. “Toffee Apple.” Pandora bit down a second one, “And chocolate cake.”

“How do you keep getting all of the good ones?” Annette and Jenna questioned in unison.   


Pandora shrugged, “Perhaps, I’m just lucky.”

A knock came from the room door that had been left ajar. Severus entered and greeted both Jenna and Pandora before he sat down beside her on the bed. “How are you feeling?” Severus asked, brushing his girlfriend’s fringe out of her eyes.

“Getting better.” Annette replied, sitting up and with a wince and with a barely withheld out cry of pain, kissed Severus on the cheek.

“You need more pain relief potion.” Severus said and stood, “I’ll go tell one of the Healer’s.” He bent down and pressed a kiss to Annette’s forehead.

“Before you go, have one of these.” Annette handed him the container that held the jelly beans. 

Severus took a couple and bit down on them, he tried to keep his face neutral, but couldn’t. It wrinkled in disgust, as biting down on the beans revealed the flavors within. “Earthworm, dog food, farm dirt, and soap.”

Annette could not help excalming, “We’re all cursed except for Pandora.” She then cried in pain, Jenna and Pandora enveloped her into a hug sandwich.

Severus’s face creased with concern, “I’ll find a Healer.” He left the room with a hurry in his step.   


Pandora finished the bracelet, and gently tied it around Annette’s wrist. “This is meant for good luck. I’m sorry we have to leave, but the film we are going to see is going to start soon. It’s called  _ Suspiria.  _ I can’t visit you tomorrow, darling. Mum, Aunt Davina, and Astraea want to look at wedding dresses, and then we’re having tea with my soon to be mother-in-law.” Pandora wiped away the tears on Annette’s cheeks and kissed her on the cheek before leaving the room.

“ _ Utrumque ligno _ .” Jenna tapped her wand against the sketch. A gorgeous wooden framed wrapped itself around the sketch. “ _ ordiremini speculo.”  _ a frame of glass now covered the finished sketch and Jenna had even colored it by hand. Her signature was in the right hand corner. Annette had not questioned why her friends were in Muggle attire. It was a lot more comfortable then their robes at times. Jenna was wearing a simple pink sundress with roses decorating the fabric. While Pandora was wearing a tunic and designer jeans.

Jenna swished and flicked her wand as the picture frame was settled onto one of the little tables by one of the chairs. “I’ll come visit you tomorrow on my lunch hour, and let you know how it went.” The Irish witch hugged her best friend gently and left the room to head to the entrance of Saint Mungo’s, where Pandora waited.

Severus returned with a Healer in the usual uniform, lime green robes, with the crossed wand and bone on the chest. She carefully poured the pain relief potion into the bottle that was attached to the IV and left once the entirety of the brewed magic was going through the IV tube before she left. Annette scooted over, and Severus laid down beside her, she laid her hand on his chest.

It took about ten minutes, but Annette looked over at Severus and smiled as if she was on cloud nine. Severus kissed her forehead and the Hufflepuff giggled. Severus smiled amused, “You’re all mushy aren’t you?”

“Soooo mushy.” Annette slurred with another giggle.  


Severus took out his wand and pointed it at the radio, the station switched from low Muggle music to a station called  _ Radio Plays of the Ages.  _ The first play was called  _ Pilgrims  _ read by a man, (possibly a wizard) named Michael Caine. Severus watched as Annette became enthralled with the tale, and Severus did too. The second play was  _ The Invisible Man  _ read by a man, also very possible that he was a wizard, named Ian McKellen.

Once the radio plays were over, Severus carefully untangled himself from Annette, and tucked her in, kissed her, and said, “I need to go and watch Desdemonia for Mum. She has to work.” He kissed her again one last time, while Annette waved to him all floppy like a puppet with loose strings.

Severus apparated out once he was in the hallway.

After her nap, Annette awoke to hear the sounds of her cousins and Aunt speaking as they made their way down the hall to her hospital room. Aunt Edwina softly knocked on the door and entered with Willow, Acantha, and Meade in tow. Her Aunt was wearing simple fern green robes, while Willow was dressed in a  _ Speed Buggy  _ t-shirt and shorts. Acantha wore hand-me-down patched jeans and a hand-me-down  _ Underdog  _ shirt. The twelve year old witch had a carrier in her hand with a Europeon fire-bellied toad. Meade had a on a t-shirt and jeans, his hair was nearly shaggy enough to put in a ponytail and his fringe nearly covered his unseeing eyes from view.

Acantha held up the carrier and grinned at her cousin, “This is Rutabaga, we’re going to audition for the Frog Choir!” the toad croaked enthusiastically, staring at the Hufflepuff.

Annette smiled, trying not to show her fear of the amphibian. “Best of luck.”   


Meade stepped closer to his cousin until he was sitting beside her on the bed and embraced her. He would be starting at Hogwarts this year. On his shoulder rested a young long-eared owl, the nocturnal bird would be his seeing-eye companion, Meade had named her, Florence, after Florence Nightingale. On his wrists were bracelets specially made by Olivander from the wand that had chosen Meade. They were meant to help him control his magic, center it. The bracelets were made from pear wood with a White River Monster’s spine as the core.   


Annette worried for her cousin, all of his books were in brail, and he had a special typewriter that would record notes from the professors’ lectures by listening and typing along silently with the professors’ voice. But walking the grounds and the interior of Hogwarts was going to prove to be the most challenging.

Meade gently patted his owl, Florence hooting softly. “Are you feeling better?”   


Annette smiled, “Yes, I should be out tomorrow. Are you excited to begin your first Autumn term at Hogwarts?”

Meade shrugged. “I guess so, I’m also really nervous through.”

Willow looked over at her mother, “If you would have let me attend Hogwarts, I could be there to help Meade.” The words were bitter and protective. Willow would be starting Year Six at Secondary School, Annette knew that she loathed being born without magic, while all of her family had been.

Acantha rolled her eyes, “You’d still be a Squib.”

Willow glared daggers at her sister. “Must you bring that up?”

Acantha grinned mischievously and did not respond.

Aunt Edwina turned to her daughter, her eyes blazing with anger and disappointment. “If you keep this up, I will make sure to let Professor McGonagall knows that you are forbidden from trying out for Qudditch, the entirety of your education there. Apologize to your sister and never call her that foul word again.”   


Acantha nodded, fear in her eyes. “Yes, Mum.” She turned to Willow, “I’m sorry.”

Willow huffed and shrugged. “You’re forgiven, I guess.”

The continued visit was talks of other family members, and Willow begging to know if Saint Francis’ would take in a Squib. Annette did not answer, knowing that they would not, without magic to protect herself, Willow would be considered a liability.

When all the goodbyes and hugs were given and they had left, Annette ordered her dinner of mashed potatoes with grilled chicken, and a slice of chocolate cake. She was scrapping the remains of the fudge frosting onto her spoon, when her mother entered.

Annette’s mother was pale, her eyes puffy and red. Her copper hair was no longer in a triple fishtail braid but a disheveled bun that was falling out of its hairband. Her mother still wore her uniform, and this visit was probably during her own dinner break. Delora sat down in the chair across from the hospital bed. Her fingers were still damp with ink.

“I have to tell you something, Annette.” Delora’s voice broke as she spoke and tears of grief once again blurred her vision.   


Annette sat up and her mother gripped her daughter’s calloused hands. “Your father is dead...he was murdered by a Death Eater.”

Annette felt a shock of cold sweat go down her body, the realization too shocking to handle. This was why he had not shown up to listen to the Quidditch match. He had never missed listening to a match with her when he was off duty. Suddenly, it felt as if she could not breathe, her ears buzzing with white noise as her mother continued to speak. It took her mother gently tapping her cheek to draw her away from the shock.

She managed to form words enough to ask a question. “Does Quinn know?” her words were still slurred, and the painkiller potion was still in her system.

“I don’t know, sweetie. I just sent him the news.” Delora answered softly.

“When’s the funeral?” Annette asked aloud, she had not meant to ask.   


“Monday.” Delora said, she tucked her daughter underneath the covers, and kissed her cheek. “Goodnight, my darling. Severus told me he would take you back to his home, tomorrow. Eileen invited me over to have dinner.”

Once the sound of her mother’s footsteps faded down the hallway, Annette’s mind was now filled with visions of wizards and witches wearing all black. The others in Magical Law Enforcement would raise their wands in honor of him first, and they would follow after. Then her mother would be given her father’s badge and wand in a wooden box with a glass on top of the lid. They had been to many of these funerals already with Baxter.

 But to go to her own father’s funeral left her numb, even after her mother left her room with clean hands and her hair done up in a bun again. Annette lay back in the hospital bed and let the painkiller potion drift her away into what she hoped was land of sweet dreams and not nightmares. 


End file.
